From Ordinary to Extraordinary
by Mystic Lady Fae
Summary: Adena Philips' new job is to help Steve Rogers get back into the world. Unfortunately, Loki's arrival on Earth shakes things up, and poor Adena manages to catch the disgraced Asgardian's unwanted attention. Set before/during The Avengers.
1. MIB and Government Agencies

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. That all belongs to the Disney corporation (though I might try and kidnap Captain America and Hawkeye some day).

AN: So, here's my new story! Since I'm not really familiar with Marvel (except through the cartoon TV shows and the movies), I hope that the die-hard fans will forgive any mistakes I make. Besides, it's fan fiction, so I'm going to toy around with stuff as I see fit. Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoys themselves, and please don't forget to be kind and leave a review. Thanks!

**Chapter 1: MIB and Government Agencies:**

Shifting uncomfortably in my chair, I looked around the plain, impersonal office in which I sat. The walls were metal, probably steel, and nothing hung there to decorate them. There was a huge wooden desk in front of me, with a large, official-looking black leather chair that looked much more comfortable than the metal chair I sat on. Luckily, my chair had some cushioning on the seat and back, so I wasn't completely uncomfortable –at least, not physically. Psychologically, I was scared witless.

Then again, being hauled in by government officials in black suits would scare the heck out of anybody.

Of course, I have no idea why I was here. In all honesty, I was probably the epitome of the average Joe (or Josephine) –I worked hard, paid my taxes, didn't break the law, and didn't get involved in things that might attract unwanted (a. k. a.: secret government) attention.

But that didn't stop the guys in dark suits from showing up at my parents' home, where I was house-sitting. One minute, I'm watching television, and the next, there's a knock on the front door. The men standing there flashed some kind of badge, demanded that I open the door, and told me I needed to go with them.

Since they were carrying dangerous weapons, I decided to not argue with them, or put up a fight. Instead, I grabbed my handbag, locked up the house, and (rather stupidly) went with them. Three black government sedans were parked out front, and they put me in the middle one, with an agent on each side of me, probably to keep me from escaping as they blindfolded me. No one said anything for the whole car ride, making me even more nervous with each passing minute.

When we finally stopped, it was in front of a small, isolated airport. When the blindfold was taken off, I saw a private plane, with solemn agents all around the stairway leading up to the aircraft. No one else was around. The men escorting me led me up the steps and into the plush interior, which was a clean-cut, elegant white-and-beige. I was told to sit wherever I wanted, so I immediately claimed a forward facing seat by a window, with a small wooden table in front of it.

Five minutes later, we were in the air, and to my surprise, a red-haired female agent came from the rear of the plane and served me a Coke, poured in a fancy crystal glass with ice. Giving the glass a very doubtful inspection, I wondered if it was poisoned or not. Seriously, I wouldn't put it past any of these people to try it.

The female agent gave me a genuine smile that startled me. "Don't worry; it won't kill you or anything. Believe me, we have nothing to gain from killing you; you're worth more alive than dead."

I scowled at the bubbling liquid. "That _really_ doesn't make me feel any better, you know," I told her.

Surprisingly, the men around me actually smiled or chuckled, causing me to blush in embarrassment, and a little anger. "Hey, I just got abducted by agents from my parents' house! I've a right to be suspicious!" I snapped at them.

The red-head chuckled softly and patted my shoulder. "I promise, we've got orders to treat you very gently until you're in our boss's hands. You'll be given all the care we'd give an ambassador or representative. Now, drink up. There's plenty more where that came from, so you can have as many as you want during our long flight."

Looking back at the glass, I quietly asked, "Where are we going?"

I didn't expect her to answer, but she did. "New York City."

* * *

The amount of shock a person can experience in one day was fully met by me, all while I was on that plane. I was being flown across the country to one of the largest cities on the planet, seated aboard a private government plane with agents all around me. It was like being the child of the president, only far scarier, since I really had no choice in the matter.

On the other hand, the red-haired woman, Natasha Romanoff, was right about everything: I wasn't drugged or assassinated. Rather, I was fed, made comfortable, and even given a power source I could hook my iPod up to. Sadly, no one would answer my questions about what this whole mess was about, and I decided to keep my mouth shut after I annoyed one of the male agents for the tenth time.

When we landed over eight hours later, it was early evening. Once off the plane, I was put into a car with Agent Romanoff and blindfolded again. The trip was lengthy, but Agent Romanoff kept assuring me that I was going to be fine, and even talked about some of the landmarks we passed by. By the time we arrived at our destination, I was even slightly relaxed –but only a little.

* * *

After the car stopped, the blindfold was removed and I saw that we appeared to be in some sort of underground garage. I was gently handed out of the car to be led inside by my female caretaker. Passing through many hallways, Agent Romanoff and I came straight to this very office. Here, I was told to sit and wait, before she closed the door behind her. That had been at least fifteen minutes ago.

At last, the door opened, and when I turned to see who had come in, I almost wanted to shrink down into my shoes. It was a tall African-American man, and he looked very bad-ass in a black trench coat, black boots, and most significant of all, the black eye patch over his left eye. Everything I saw screamed that he was an assassin or government killer of some kind.

By now, I was beyond intimidated, and straight to scared stupid. My brain quickly imagined the different ways he could kill me in less than fifteen seconds, and none of them were pretty. I was in the middle of putting together a feeble escape plan (which probably wouldn't have worked anyway) when he leaned up against the desk and looked straight at me with his good eye, effectively freezing me in place as he seemed to size me up.

* * *

Looking the girl over, Nick quickly assessed her and mentally went through everything he knew about her.

According to the file that currently sat inside one of his jacket pockets, this was Adena Philips: 5'3" tall, with shoulder-length brown hair and dark brown eyes, and she was in her late twenties. She worked at a dental office as a receptionist, and lived alone, though her apartment was still close to her parents and younger brother. She was a well-educated college graduate, with a degree in the arts, and a love of history.

Looking at the actual person, Nick found that he liked what he saw. Right now, she was clearly afraid of him, but she also seemed to be thinking something over, possibly an escape plan. That was a good sign: she could function under pressure, at least a little. She also hadn't said or done anything to attract attention, and he could see that she was stretching out her patience as she waited for him to make his first move.

"Miss Philips," he greeted her, "I'm glad you could join me."

She shifted in her chair. "Well, you didn't give me much choice," she muttered resentfully.

Nick bit back a smile; the girl had some guts. "True enough. I'm sorry about the whole thing with the cars and suits, but I needed to get you here as quickly as possible. There are a few urgent matters that I'd like to discuss with you."

From inside his jacket, he produced a file folder. "I'm Nick Fury, director of a secret government agency known as S. H. I. E. L. D. This is the file we have on you, and I have to say that you've got some qualities that we would like to acquire for a specific task."

* * *

I swallowed nervously. "Please don't tell me you're going to turn me into a spy," I pleaded. "I'm terrible at acting, and would mess up everything in less than ten minutes."

He actually smiled at me. "No, we don't want you as a spy. Trust me; we've got a lot of good ones already. No, we need something that only a civilian can provide."

"Okay," I slowly drawled out, starting to get a little interested. "So what do you want me for?"

Director Fury looked at the file folder, which I could see had my name on the front. I, Adena Philips, had a _file_! Staring at the front of the folder, I swallowed nervously at what was in it as Director Fury explained.

"I need someone who has a calm, patient, kind personality, but who is also intelligent," he said, flipping through the pages. "Someone who can keep secret matters to themselves."

He closed the folder and put it aside. "The assignment is a difficult one. We have a soldier who has recently returned from a very long stay abroad, and he needs to be reintegrated back into the world. I need someone with the patience to teach him everything he's missed in his absence."

I stared at him. "Forgive me, sir, but don't you already have people for that? Aren't there vet hospitals and professionals who can help him? I don't understand why you need a civilian for this."

"It's a unique situation," he said. "Military personnel could do it, but this also requires the soldier to get back into civilian life as well. Therefore, I need a civilian who is in touch with the world to help him adapt and show him things from a regular person's point of view. I think you might be that person."

He shifted a little and took a seemingly relaxed lean against the desk. "It'll be a full-time job that could take months, or even years to complete. This man has been away for a long time, and it will take a lot of work to help him catch up on everything that's happened since he's been gone."

By now, I was starting to get worried. How long had this man been out of the loop, anyway? Even soldiers in third-world countries had some kind of touch with the outside world –it was how they stayed in touch with their families, and kept up-to-date on things. Where had they assigned him -under a rock on the moon?

I chewed my lower lip in thought. It sounded interesting, and like any patriotic American, I had great respect for those in the armed forces. This was my chance to give back to those who'd lost so much to fight for us, and I really did want to help this poor man.

But was I really the right person for this job? I had no experience teaching, not even as a tutor, so how was I going to teach a grown person things? Would this soldier even listen to what I said, or would he push it aside and go their own way? Things could go very badly for me if this person decided I wasn't worth their time.

"Can I have time to think about it?" I asked meekly.

"No," Fury bluntly stated. "This is important, even vital, and I need someone on this ASAP. I need your answer within the next few minutes so that I can get you going on this assignment."

Wow, if that didn't sound very 'secret government agency,' I don't know what did. And I was totally not the type to get involved in this kind of thing! So why me, of all people? I had to know.

"Director, sir, if I could ask another question?" He nodded. "Why me? Or at least, why do you have a file on me? I'm just an ordinary person. How did _I_ get put on your radar?"

"Dr. Isaac Jacobs."

My jaw dropped –_that_ I didn't expect. "Doctor Ike…the guy who lives next to my parents?" I asked in disbelief. "He's a pediatrician! What does he have to do with you?"

For a second, the director looked amused. "Isaac and I go way back. I think I can tell you that he wasn't always a doctor, and in certain matters, I trust his judgment. This is one of those situations.

"Over the years, he's been telling me a lot about a little girl that lived next door, one who he hired to help organize the patient files he keeps in his house. You worked for him for more than ten years, didn't you? Off-and-on, ever since you were a teenager?"

I nodded as he continued. "You helped him during your school vacations for extra money, and moved on to making it an after-school job. You were trusted with confidential information, and told no one what, exactly, you did. From this, I know you can keep something like this job a secret; or at least create a believable cover story for what you really do."

Fury smiled a little. "Isaac also said he saw great potential in you, but from what I read in your file, and from what he has told me, I know for a fact that you haven't reached even a fraction of that potential. You're quiet, you observe, and work subtly and effectively for things in life. For example, you want to help people, but you don't volunteer at the shelter –instead, you quietly give money or needed things to charity, without even claiming it on your tax forms or openly telling others what you've done.

"I need someone like you to help with this effort. Isaac said you're a good person who is silent when it counts, and willing to help people who need it. You keep your eyes and ears open, observe much, and can see what is needed and when." The corner of his mouth curved upwards into a smile. "Believe me, if you were skilled in 'acting,' as you put it, and capable of handling an assortment of weaponry, I'd be happy to make you a spy. But as it is, I need the civilian you already are."

I leaned back as he leaned forward, bringing his scrutinizing eye close to mine. "So what do you say, Miss Philips? Are you willing to take up this assignment? I can promise that this man is a good person, and wouldn't harm you in any way, not for the world."

Under his gaze, I began to tremble a little bit. All of this sounded a bit fishy to me, especially since there were places that a soldier could go to for help, all of them with fully trained professionals and specialists. This guy would have to be an extremely special case, for the feds to get someone just for him specifically.

But even if this was all rather interesting, I already had a job; a good, secure one, with benefits and everything. I told him that, but Fury just shook his head. "You'll be well-paid for your efforts and time, with excellent benefits. A car and driver will be put at your disposal, provided that you take your student with you."

Well, that was tempting, and very handy. "What if this doesn't work out?" I asked. "What if this soldier and I don't get along? What happens to me at that point?"

"I'll find you a position here that would be equal to, or better, than the one you currently have at your employers," he said.

That surprised me. Honestly, I'd thought that he'd have me assassinated or something, not offer me another job if this one didn't work out!

And it was pretty generous. A government car and driver at my beck-and-call? Not to mention good pay, and government benefits with a top-secret agency? They were bound to be above and beyond what the usual government worker got.

Not to mention that it was a job that sounded not only intriguing, but also rewarding on many levels. And sweet Doctor Ike, who had been like an uncle to me since I was little, clearly thought I was meant for something like this. I'd spent all of my teenage years working for him, and he'd taught me so much more than a regular employer would. He'd taught me patience and perspective; how to look at the bigger picture of certain things. Doc Ike had also helped me learn when to focus, and when to let my mind wander, because sometimes _not_ thinking about things can lead to an answer or solution to a problem.

He had also taught me to trust my instincts, and right now, they were telling me to take this job. Besides, how could I resist helping someone who needed it?

"Alright, sir, I accept," I said, looking at him. "Who's my student supposed to be?"

He merely smiled at me and said, "I'll show you after you sign the paperwork."

* * *

After hours of signing papers, getting my blood tested, putting my DNA on file, and giving my fingerprints, I felt that the government had literally everything they could possibly need from me.

However, when I joked about it to Director Fury, he said that there were several other means of identification that they hadn't taken, but since I wasn't a spy or on any "need-to-know" lists, they pretty much had everything they needed. I couldn't tell if that was reassuring or not.

Afterwards, Fury led me back into the underground garage, where a black sedan sat waiting, and handed me in. In the front sat a driver, who I guessed was an agent, and another man, who was _definitely_ an agent. Lucky for me, I wasn't blindfolded this time, so I was able to watch New York pass by and marvel at how impressive it all looked.

The car pulled up to an apartment building that looked _way_ too nice for the average soldier to live in, but Fury got out and led me inside. Passing two reception desks, one on either side of the lobby, and each manned by three giant security guards, he took me to the elevator and up to the eighth floor.

During the walk down the hallway, I noticed that, even though the lobby was rather like a generic office reception area, the halls of the building were nicely furnished. I guessed that the people who lived here had to be pretty important, or at least valuable to the government.

It was also very clear that there weren't many apartment doors, either. I guessed that the living quarters had to be big, almost like penthouses, and that made me even more uneasy. Only the important and/or rich lived in large New York City apartments.

I held my breath as Fury led me to the last door at the end of the hall, and knocked. Inside, I braced myself for the worst: a soldier that might have been severely wounded in battle, or someone emotionally or psychologically drained by his time away from civilization. Meanwhile, my brain frantically tried to piece together a mass of comforting words, greetings, and politically correct things to say to him, so that we got off on the right foot.

The door opened, and the man standing there nearly made me fall over in shock.

"Oh, my God," I stammered.

* * *

AN: Review?


	2. Meeting with a Legend

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: And now: Captain America!

**Chapter 2: Meeting with a Legend:**

Director Fury immediately dragged me into the apartment, past the man in the doorway, and into a large living room area. Once there, he looked me over intensely while he motioned for the door to be closed behind us.

"Do you know who this is?" he asked, his tone harsh. With that sole eye focused on me like a laser beam, I had the sudden feeling that my next words would either save my life, or get me killed.

As I tried to pull my thoughts together, the other man came into the room, blue eyes puzzled as he looked at me. I felt excitement bubble up inside, completely overriding my fear. Then my brain started working again.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "It's just that…you look a lot like a favorite hero of mine. You're probably related to him somehow, right? Maybe a grandson, or a great-grandson?"

Fury seemed to relax a little. "Which hero are you talking about?" he asked, very carefully.

Shifting uncomfortably in my chair –he was really good at intimidation– I whispered, "Captain America?"

Both men looked at each other and, at some unspoken agreement, both sat down. Director Fury scowled as he eyed me closely. "How do you know that?" he demanded. "As I recall, his face wasn't revealed to the public, to preserve his true identity."

I blushed. "My great-grandmother knew a few of the girls who danced in the shows he put on during World War II. They told her and my grandmother all about him, and even gave them a few discreetly taken photos of him without the mask. Some of the girls also had husbands or boyfriends who were rescued from prison camps by the Captain, when he decided to quit his shows and get more involved in the war efforts."

My fingers nervously clenched and unclenched in my lap. "My grandmother stayed a fan of his, and kept all of the memorabilia her mother's friends had given her, even after he went missing-in-action. She showed her collection to me when I was little, and she still tells me stories about him whenever I see her." My cheeks got even redder. "He's a forgotten hero."

Now it was my turn to eye someone. The man to my left could easily pass as the Captain: same blonde hair, blue eyes, facial features, everything. It was impossible, of course –Captain America had disappeared seventy years ago, never to be seen again. Given the time that had passed, he had to be dead or a very old man by now, since he'd be ninety or a hundred years old.

'_It has to be a descendant_,' I reasoned with myself. '_Or a clone, but science hasn't come that far yet, as far as I know. No, this has to be a grandson, or even a distant relative that looks like him_.'

Descendant or not, this guy was as good-looking as the one in my grandma's old photos. He was very fit, but not too fit –there was a good deal of muscle showing through his clothes, but they weren't overly large or straining at the seams. He was tall, too, because he towered over me even when sitting. That physique, combined with his all-American looks, made for a very fine specimen of a man. No doubt every female who saw him stopped to stare as he walked by.

That's when I realized that he was blushing a little. "Great-grandmother and grandmother, huh?" he muttered. "I guess I _have_ been gone a while."

After he said that, everything that Fury had previously said about my new job clicked inside my brain. This had to be _the_ Captain America! Why else would a secret government agency want to help a soldier reenter society?

"Oh, my gosh, it's you!" I said, astounded. "You're Steve Rogers! You're Captain America!"

He smiled a little and looked embarrassed as he nodded. When my brain cleared again, a flood of questions began nagging at me. "You haven't aged a day since you disappeared," I said dumbly. "How is that possible?"

I managed to get the short version of his life's story from Director Fury. I was told how Steve Rogers had become Captain America, and why he was the only one of his kind. After he quit performing in public shows, he'd gone into taking down Nazi weapon factories all over Europe, battling the forces of one of Hitler's top lieutenants, Red Skull. On his last mission, Captain America had been fighting the evil, super-powered Nazi on a massive airplane bound for the US. Red Skull had died while flying to destroy the US, and the good Captain had crashed the plane into the Arctic to prevent the weapons onboard from killing millions of people. After nose-diving into the ice of the far north, Captain America had been frozen in suspended animation until some scientists or explorers found him.

"After he was revived, we tried to break the news to him in a fashion we thought would be gentle on him," Fury explained. "It didn't work out too well. I thought a personal tutor would be a good idea, and began a search for the right person to help in this situation. When Isaac Jacobs sent me another e-mail on how he was doing, I remembered his letters about you, and decided that you were what we needed."

"And here we are," I muttered, struggling to wrap my mind around the whole thing. "Okay, as weird as this all is, I've signed up for this job, and I'm going to do my best by you, Captain. We'll start slow, see what ways you learn best, and move on from there. Okay?"

"You can call me Steve," he said, smiling a little.

I shifted in my seat a little. "Um, no, actually, I can't. You see, Steve is my dad's name, so calling you that would be just too weird for me. I'm going to call you Cap, short for Captain."

He didn't look happy about that, but he didn't argue, which was nice of him. Meanwhile, Director Fury looked satisfied with the whole thing. "Good. Now, Adena, I know this might be odd for the both of you, but I'd like for you to share this apartment with the Captain. That way, if he's got any questions, you'll be right here, instead of having to trade phone calls at all hours."

At that, the Captain looked scandalized. "It doesn't seem right, sir," he protested. "I mean, I'm sure that – Adena, is it? – would rather have a place of her own."

Fury looked over at me. "Oh, I'm sure that she realizes that this might be the best solution for everyone," he said, a bit of an edge in his voice.

Actually, I did. There were over seven decades of history and culture to teach, most of which I was rusty on. At least this way, if he had any questions, I'd be right there to (hopefully!) offer answers and provide a sympathetic ear if he got nostalgic for his old life. Being in close proximity would be the best bet for the both of us.

"I agree with you, Director," I replied. "As awkward as this will be for you, Captain, it might be best for you to have someone constantly with you, just in case you start getting overwhelmed with the 21st century. And I don't mind sharing a space, as long as I've got my own room and, possibly, my own bathroom. We can work everything out around that."

"This apartment has two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths," Fury said, getting to his feet. "As for necessities, I can either have agents pack up your belongings and ship them here, or you can buy everything you need and the agents can put your things into storage. An advance on your pay can be arranged, but the rent here is covered, so you won't have to worry about that."

I thought about it. "There are some things I want shipped here. I'll give you a list; anything else I can probably buy while the rest goes into storage." I gave a small smile. "I'll likely lose the last couple months' rent on my apartment, but I guess I can handle that."

Fury waved aside my worries. "I'll take care of that. You'll get your money back, if only because you might need a cushion in your bank account." He reached into his coat and pulled out a pre-paid credit card and a set of keys. "Here, use the card to buy a few things until I advance you some of your pay -it should last a week or two, if you're careful. If not, the Captain's got funds we've been providing for him. A car's waiting outside to take you wherever you want to go. The keys are for the apartment and the mailbox downstairs."

As I accepted the card, he got up from his seat and looked at the two of us. "I'll have my people leave a phone message for your parents, explaining that you've taken an excellent government position and have relocated here to New York. In the meantime, you two play nice. I might need the Captain's services at any time, and it would be nice if he were a little more familiar with modern things."

With that, he was gone, and the two of us still sitting merely looked at each other with embarrassment and discomfort. I could only imagine what the Captain was thinking about all this, and probably didn't want to know.

"Well, I guess I should go shopping," I muttered. "We can start everything tomorrow, if you'd like."

He nodded. "It is pretty late. We'll start bright and early tomorrow."

Taking a deep breath, I stood up. "I should be back in a couple hours." Swallowing hard, I said, "It's nice to meet you, Cap. I'm Adena Philips."

* * *

As soon as she was gone, Steve sat and stared at the closed door, wondering if this was a good idea or not.

Of course it was. This woman, Adena, had managed to accept his story at face value, and hadn't run screaming from the room, or fainted –that showed the girl had guts, for all that she was a civilian.

'_But that might be what I need_,' Steve thought to himself, letting out a breath as his head fell into his hands. '_I need someone who is patient, and won't bark out a bunch of information while expecting me to remember it in a hurry_.'

And she seemed nice enough, even if she wanted to call him 'Cap.' He couldn't see how or why she wouldn't use his first name, but he was willing to let it go –for now, anyway. Maybe, after they got used to one another, she'd drop the nickname and use his real one. But for the present time, Steve would let her get away with calling him 'Cap,' if it made her more comfortable.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Steve sat back and closed his eyes. It had been so disheartening, listening to her talk about him living in a time when her great-grandmother and grandmother were young. Just thinking about all of the years that had passed made his stomach turn.

'_All of my friends, they're gone. Even if they'd lived long lives, they're all gone now_.' His comrades in arms, men who were like brothers to him and had run head-long into battle at his side, were long dead and buried while he'd been frozen in ice. And Peggy…

No, he couldn't think about Peggy –it hurt too much, thinking of how she must have felt, after losing contact with him. Steve could only hope that she had led a full and happy life with someone else.

Outside, the sounds of traffic and people drew Steve out of the dark thoughts that plagued him. Here was a chance for him to start a new life –he'd have to be strong and accept it.

Going to the window, Steve stood at the large pane of glass and looked down, watching the traffic below. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and after Adena got back, perhaps the two of them could get to know each other a bit better.

'_Maybe it won't be so bad_,' he thought, trying to look on the bright side, even though his heart really wasn't in it.

* * *

I had to admit, the amount on the card Director Fury had given me was beyond generous. I guess he really had to like or admire the Captain, to give me this much to spend on things I needed.

After buying enough clothing to last a couple weeks, and all the accessories needed for them, I splurged a bit on bathroom necessities and a bottle of perfume. I then did a quick consideration, and remembered that I hadn't seen a computer in the apartment, and decided to get a laptop and a tablet, both fully loaded. The electronics could make Cap's history learning go smoother, especially since almost everything was on the Internet.

'_Of course, I'll have to teach him how to use it, but that shouldn't be too hard_,' I told myself as the driver took me back to the apartment building. '_I'll set them both up tonight, so that they're ready for tomorrow_.'

Back at the apartment, some of the guards actually came out to help lug my purchases into the building and the apartment, though I handled the laptop and tablet myself. Cap's jaw dropped when he saw how much I'd bought, but I ignored his expression.

"Could you show me where my room is?" I politely asked. I hadn't been given the grand tour, and wanted to know where I'd be sleeping for however long I'd be here. Getting over the amount of shopping I'd done, Cap nodded and motioned for me to follow him.

To my right was the kitchen, fully equipped, while on my left was a closet for coats. Attached to the kitchen was a huge living room/dining room area, all simply furnished: a dining table with room for six in the eating area; a couch, loveseat, lamps, small end tables, and a large LCD television mounted on the wall. There was a desk in the corner by the large windows where I could set up the laptop, and a beautifully polished coffee table in front of the couch. Simple, but elegant; secret governments really knew how to take care of their 'valuable assets.'

Branching off of the larger area in opposite directions were two areas that I guessed were bedrooms. Since Cap led me to my right, I guessed that the other one was his –it made for a good arrangement, when it came to privacy.

We passed by a small bathroom, which I guessed was for visitors to the apartment, and he opened a door that led to a fairly spacious bedroom. The bed was dark wood, with a matching headboard and footboard; on either side of the bed were mahogany bedside tables, each with a white lamp. The sheets were a dull gold-and-white that was tasteful and went well with the furnishings.

A desk sat in the corner, below a window that looked towards the red brick wall of the building next door. Mercifully, there were no windows in the neighboring building, so there were no nosy, peeping-tom neighbors to worry about.

There was a spacious closet door on my left, beside a small wardrobe, and to my right was the bathroom, complete with a spacious counter for all of my girly accessories. It looked like something out of a nice hotel –comfortable, simple, tasteful, and roomy. Whoever designed this had probably worked for the hospitality industry at some point, and brought their skills with them.

"Very cool," I said, smiling as I turned towards my new roommate.

"If you're cold, I could turn up the heat," Cap said, looking anywhere but at me.

I had to hold back a laugh. "No, no, the word _cool_ is slang," I explained. "It's a word that means something other than its original definition."

I then had to spend several minutes explaining that 'cool' could be used in a variety of ways, as well as the different contexts and meanings it could have. Cap looked a bit bewildered at first, but after I gave a few examples and had him try out the word a bit, he seemed to get it.

"Cool," he muttered. "It seems to be a handy word. I'll definitely have to remember that one."

"Yup, it's a good word," I replied with a grin. "Now, I'm going to try and put this stuff away, then set up the tablet I bought, so that we can use them tomorrow or the next day. They'll help a lot with the teaching and learning processes, and get you accustomed to technology, too."

Again, he looked a bit lost, so I had to explain what a tablet was. I was pleasantly surprised that he seemed interested in the tablet, if only because of the touch-screen feature, so I silently made the tough decision to let him have it, if he wanted it, as well as the laptop. Personally (and selfishly), _I_ wanted the tablet, and had bought it with the intension of keeping it, since I didn't have one of my own. However, Cap needed it more than I did, so I decided to let it go.

Being the nice guy that he was, Cap graciously helped lug my things (minus the electronics) to my room, and left me alone to unpack. Rolling up my sleeves, I quickly went to work.

* * *

I worked fast, and was done in about an hour. Pleased with my progress, I headed for the kitchen to raid the fridge. To my complete shock, the fridge was almost entirely empty; all I managed to find were a dozen eggs, still in the carton, a gallon of milk, a few cubes of butter, and orange juice. That was it.

"Not one for buying groceries, huh?" I asked over my shoulder.

Cap came to stand beside me. "Sorry. I'm not familiar with today's brands and foods, so an agent occasionally comes by with the most basic groceries." He looked a little uncomfortable. "We can go shopping, I guess, as part of the learning process."

Since it was getting pretty late, I had a feeling that the only grocery places that'd be open right now would be the local convenience store. '_Well, that's a lesson that'll have to wait until tomorrow_.'

Biting back a sigh, I went to the cupboard and, much to my relief, found bread, strawberry jam, and some peanut butter. There was a bag of chips, too, so I was able to scrounge up peanut butter on toast, a couple handfuls of chips, and a glass of milk to snack on while Cap looked at the laptop box.

"What's in here?" he asked.

I swallowed my mouthful of toast. "Laptop computer," I replied, my voice rough from the thick peanut butter. I took a gulp of milk to wash it down and cleared my throat. "Sorry. It's a portable computer that can easily fit in your lap –thus the name, laptop. I'll start setting it, and the tablet, up after I finish eating."

He gave me a sad smile. "You know, back in my day, computers were big enough to fill whole rooms. It's hard to believe that technology has come so far since then."

"If you think that's impressive, wait until I show you the tablet," I teased before polishing off my snack. Chugging down the milk in my glass, I rose and headed for the kitchen. "Some computers still are big enough to fill rooms; those are either servers or super-computers, which have to calculate things humans can't. But for normal people, we have these."

Once I'd cleaned up, I broke out the laptop and set it on the desk by the window. As I unwound the cords and plugged it into the outlet, Cap watched with interest as it booted up. It was an Apple, so it was all ready to go after a quick load of software. I was majorly relieved that this place had wireless access, but sadly didn't have the password to log on.

Cap took one look at my disappointed face, and asked what was wrong. I told him, and to my surprise, he reached into a drawer in the desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. "When I first moved in here, I found this on the desk. I'm not sure what these are for," he admitted, clearly embarrassed, "but maybe you can figure it out."

A quick scan of the paper gave me the login password for the wireless and cable internet within the building. Within a minute, I was in, and the laptop was ready for use. I then took the opportunity to set up the tablet as well, with Cap watching the whole time.

"I'll teach you how to use it tomorrow," I promised while biting back a yawn. "Right now, I'm going to try and get some sleep. You should, too. We've a lot of ground to cover, so we're definitely going to need our rest."

Even through the haze of sleepiness, I could see that he looked troubled and sad. Reaching out, I put a hand on his arm, the muscles there going taught before relaxing.

"I know this is hard on you," I said softly. "I was brought here to teach a man that I thought was long dead -I can only imagine how _you_ feel, being that person. You probably feel more lost than I do. But I _promise_ to help you as best I can, and to be a friend when you need one. The sense of loss you have will probably never go away, but it will gradually fade, in time."

Those honest blue eyes of his looked into mine, and something in them seemed to shift. I couldn't tell what it was, but it did seem to make a difference in him. Whether that was a good change or not, that remained to be seen, but I think a little of what I said got to him. Either way, he managed a smile as he thanked me and wished me pleasant dreams.

After wishing him the same, I went and prepped for bed, which I happily fell into. I was asleep within minutes, but my last thought was of poor Captain Rogers, and how he must be sleeping tonight.

* * *

Lying awake in bed, Steve thought over what Adena had told him just an hour ago. She had given him a small bit of comfort by promising to help him as best she could, and to be there whenever he needed her. That was far more than anyone else had offered so far, even Director Fury.

Closing his eyes, he tried remembering everything that had happened since he'd woken up in S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters a week ago. Most of it was a blur, with him being brought up to date on where and when he was, right before he'd been moved to this apartment. Since then, Steve had been alone, trying to figure out how he was going to fit into this whole new century. In those times of loneliness, anger and despair, Steve had found himself back at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, in their gym, taking out his frustrations on the punching bags that hung in the boxing area. Most of those bags didn't make it through the night, though the exercise made it easier for him to fall asleep.

Now, things were different. '_Director Fury had promised help, but I never really expected him to actually find someone –at least, not so soon_.' But here she was, sleeping just down the hallway from him, in the same apartment.

Steve scowled as he opened his eyes to gaze at the ceiling. He didn't approve of sharing a place with a woman he barely knew, even if the morals of this era were very different than the ones he'd been brought up with. In all likelihood, this might be considered a normal living situation, though he didn't like it very much. He could imagine his mother spinning in her grave because of this.

'_I guess I'd better get ready for a lot of surprises_.' Lord knows there would probably be thousands of them coming his way, and soon.

At least he had someone there to help him. It was a very comforting thought, one that actually made him smile a bit as he closed his eyes. For the first time in a week, Steve Rogers slept decently, _without_ the need to punch something.

* * *

AN: If anyone manages to find a typed up script of the _**Avengers**_ movie online, could you please Private Message me? Otherwise, I'll have to rely on memory in order to get this fic done accurately. Thanks, and please review?


	3. Let the Lessons Begin

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy, and please review?

**Chapter 3: Let the Lessons Begin:**

I woke to the sound of someone moving around the kitchen, and it wasn't a good waking, either –I was still pretty jet-lagged from my travels, and had counted on sleeping in, at least a little. However, my watch clearly stated that it was half-past seven in the morning, and that made me _very_ grumpy.

Struggling out of bed, I trudged to the bathroom, tidied up a little, and went to the kitchen. I could feel the unhappy morning look on my face, and didn't care –I was determined to give Cap a piece of my mind.

The second he saw me, the dear Captain had the nerve to give me a disapproving look. "I thought you'd be up before this," he said. "The sun's been up for a while now, and I thought you wanted to get an early start."

I gave him my best death glare. "I'm jet-lagged," I said in a deadpan tone. "To me, it's ungodly early. Therefore, I am not in a cooperative mood, much less a teaching one. I'm going back to bed, and plan on not waking up for _at_ _least_ another hour or two."

A small pang of guilt hit my stomach as Cap's face seemed to morph into several different emotions before settling on grudging agreement. I bit my lower lip and gave myself a mental slap, my conscience reminding me that I had a job to do, one that was very important to a lot of people, most of all to the man standing right in front of me. Now wasn't the time to be selfish, though my body was telling me to crawl back into bed so that it could adjust to the different time zone I was in.

'_But maybe there's a way to kill two birds with one stone_,' I thought, still nibbling my lower lip.

Glancing up at Cap's stony expression, I asked, "What year did you disappear again? Early or mid-1940's, right?" He nodded. "Here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to pull up some film names, and you tell me whether you've seen them or not, okay? You need to catch up on the movies that have become cultural icons, so I'll put one of those on the laptop for you to watch while I catch up on my sleep. Okay?"

Cap didn't look happy about it. "Are you sure this isn't an excuse for you to be lazy?" he asked suspiciously. "We're supposed to be catching me up on history, not watching movies."

"Movies are part of history," I retorted, my disgruntlement getting the better of me. "Film is very important, and in order for you to fully grasp modern culture, you need to watch the movies that have influenced generations of children."

I sighed. "And to answer your question –yes, I am being a bit lazy. Given what's just happened to me, I feel that I've a right to be, especially since this might be the last chance I have to sleep late for a while. So let's get started on your first lesson in popular culture, shall we?"

A quick search on the Net got me a list of films that had come out after Cap's disappearance. I started with the most significant one closest to the time he'd vanished, and much to my surprise, I managed to find a video of it online. I let it load, then had Cap sit down to watch it, with the instructions to wake me once it was over. Hopefully, by then, I'd be more awake and a little more cheerful.

* * *

Two hours later, I was conscious and in a considerably better mood. Really, it's amazing what extra sleep can do!

After a quick shower and a change into new, clean clothes, I felt even better. I even managed to leave a message for my folks, apologizing for not "telling" them about the job I'd considered taking up in New York, and promising to tell them everything the next time I called or e-mailed. That, of course, would be _after_ they returned from their trip to Hawaii in a couple weeks, so I had plenty of time to think up a cover story.

I emerged from my room and went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat and found a plate of hot eggs and bacon waiting for me, along with a cold glass of juice and another of milk. Looking around, I saw Cap seated on the couch, reading the morning paper. When he felt me looking at him, he glanced up and smiled a little.

"I thought I'd make a good-will gesture," he said. "You were right: you've given up a lot to come and help me adjust. I had no right to be rude and push you as I did."

Sweet as it was for him to say and do all of this, I knew I had an apology of my own to make. "Well, you were right, too. You've got seven decades of film, history, and culture to learn –it's my job to make sure you do. I can't be selfish, either." I blushed. "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

At that point, the awkwardness in the air got so thick, I could cut it with a knife. Clearing my throat, I sat down and began eating. Normally, I hated eggs, but these smelled like they'd been cooked in salt and butter, so I was sure they'd taste good. Besides, Cap had made the effort of cooking them for me –the least I could do was eat them.

And they _were_ good. "You made this?" I wondered aloud, surprised. Then I realized how rude I sounded. "Sorry; I just didn't know you could cook."

He gave me a sad smile. "I've been on my own ever since my parents died when I was young. I've learned how to fend for myself."

Ouch, insert foot into mouth here. "Well, they're very good. Normally, I hate eggs, but not these."

That seemed to cheer him up a bit, because the sadness faded, only to be replaced by a slight blush. "Thanks; I've never cooked for anyone else before. I appreciate it."

After finishing my meal, I washed up and went to sit on the couch, next to him. "So, what do you want to learn about first?"

Cap considered that, and after a minute, came up with an answer. "History, I suppose. We both know I've got a lot to learn, so we might as well start with when I disappeared and move on from there."

I nodded. "Good enough. Come on; let's get started."

* * *

We decided to start with the 1940's, which was a time period that Cap was familiar with. It was also probably the easiest decade to cover, since he'd lived half of it, and starting slow was a good way to 'test the waters' of how to work out a system for him.

This, however, was easier said than done. Before we even started on his history lesson, I had to explain the Internet to Cap, who was amazed at all the information that was out there, and right at his fingertips. He liked the laptop, too, and being able to click around the screen with the mouse. To me, it was kind of charming, watching the wonder on his face as he discovered new things.

Then, of course, I had to give him "the talk" about the internet; warning him of the dangers online, like computer viruses, as well as the scam artists, criminals and psychopaths who lurked there, waiting to take advantage of people. I told him that as long as he stuck to well-known websites, he'd be fine.

"And there are tons of videos for you to watch, too, which will come in handy when it comes to learning your history," I said, being careful to bookmark a few websites I knew and trusted for his future use. "The ones I put on a favorites list are world-renowned history and nature sites, so you can access them whenever you want. I'll show you how to do that, and how to search them for whatever you're interested in."

Cap shook his head. "I prefer books, thanks. I'm not sure if I could handle staring at this all day."

I knew what he meant. "I like books, too," I admitted, "But it might be best to do a good chunk of learning on the Net. It's faster, for one thing –you could watch a set of documentaries and get an entire decade of history that would take weeks or months of reading to accomplish. But we'll still visit the library, so that you can pick up a few modern or classic texts, if you'd like."

As I said this, I made a mental note to ask Director Fury how I could get a library card, one for me and one for Cap. "Now, let's start with the end of World War II, and go on from there."

* * *

We quit our history lesson an hour before lunchtime, so that I could take Cap out to a grocery story. Before we went, I gave him a warning of how modern foods weren't normally good for the human body, and that people were in a constant struggle between eating what was good for them, and indulging in the things that were bad.

"It doesn't help that scientists are always doing studies of certain foods and their effects on health," I said while pulling on a jacket. "One month, something is good for you, and the next, they're saying not to eat or drink it, because it's bad."

He looked at me in confusion. "So how do you decide what to buy?"

Grabbing my purse, I shrugged. "I just get what fruits and vegetables I like, and try to restrain myself when it comes to sweets and sodas. I do indulge sometimes, maybe once or twice a week, but for the most part, I try to be good about what I eat."

As Cap pulled on his own jacket, I said, "We'll try and pick out some stuff the both of us like. If we like some of the same things, we'll get a larger helping of it to share. How does that sound?"

He agreed, and the two of us headed out into the streets of New York City.

* * *

Since this was my very first time to New York, I was quickly overwhelmed with how packed the place was. The city blocks were huge, and people flowed back and forth along the sidewalk, mirroring the traffic on the streets –well, except the street traffic was almost always at a standstill.

As a newbie in the city, I had no idea where we were going, but thankfully, the same driver from last night was out front, leaning against the car, staring at his cell. "Do you, like, live in that car or something?" I asked in disbelief. "And what's your name, anyway?"

He shrugged. "I can't tell you that, and no, I don't live in the car. I've been out here just for today, since you don't have my number yet."

Watching him reach into his jacket, I wondered if I'd seen too many mobster movies, because I got the sudden urge to duck and cover. Beside me, Cap tensed, as though he were waiting for a pistol to be brought out as well.

Much to my relief, the driver simply pulled out another cell phone. "Here, this is yours from now on. We've copied all of your contacts, texts, and data onto it, and put in some new numbers you might need."

I was a bit worried about a government agency having access to my private phone information, and a little angry that they'd transferred it all over to this phone without asking. I was also extremely reluctant to give up the phone I already had, but figured that this one was probably more secure. It was also newer and sleeker than my old phone, which partially won me over.

Turning it on, I quickly scanned through it, and sure enough, it was all there: Mom and Dad's house, my brother's cell, my best friend's number, my saved texts, everything. There was also a special category, with very generic names beside the numbers: below the word CAR was a number, obviously meaning that the number was for a driver and vehicle. Another was FURY, for the Director, and HELP, which I had no understanding of.

"What's the HELP number for?" I asked, looking up at the driver/agent.

An eyebrow lifted behind the black sunglasses he wore. "That's for if you're in a life-or-death situation. It's rather doubtful that will happen to you, but Director Fury wants to ensure your safety, given your assignment." He stepped back and opened the rear passenger door. "Shall we, Miss?"

I thought that last part over as I climbed in, Cap right behind me, and the driver took us to the nearest, nicest grocery store. Concern about my safety wasn't something I'd thought about, though I probably should have –after all, I was teaching a legendary hero, a person who would probably make enemies as time went by and he was called into action. If those enemies found out about me, there was a good chance my life could be in danger.

Part of my mind screamed for me to get out of this, fast, and run home as fast as I could. Did I really want to put my life in jeopardy for this man?

Out of the corner of my eye, I threw a discreet look Cap's way. He seemed troubled, and was likely thinking the same thing I was. Knowing him, he was probably going to try and talk me into going back home and give up this job.

I wouldn't do it, though. When my grandmother had told me stories about Captain America and the great things he'd done over in Europe, I wanted to be like that. I had always wanted to help people, just like he'd rescued soldiers in WWII, or to somehow serve my country. I wanted to do great things and make things better for people.

Unfortunately, as I grew up and looked outside of that great bubble of dreams and hopes, I'd never developed the confidence to do those things. It's one thing to dream something –it's quite another to actually get the courage to do it. In the end, I did my best to help people in small ways, such as giving to Goodwill, donating to the local toy drive, the veteran hospital, Salvation Army, and other minor things like that. Every little bit helps, I suppose, and there were people here in America who needed things that they didn't have. How could I not spend some of my extra money on helping others?

Besides, I'd also discovered that I didn't like guns; and even though I had a bit of a temper, I was mostly a peaceful person (and a bit of a coward when it came to danger), so I never tried joining an armed service. I decided to help people in my own way, and in any way I could. That was all because of the man sitting right beside me.

No, I couldn't leave him, not when he needed help and a friend so badly. Even if I was a bit of a coward, I couldn't leave the poor man hanging like that! After all, I wasn't a monster.

"Adena," Cap muttered, leaning over to talk to me, "Maybe you should think about-"

"Not gonna happen," I said firmly, but softly. "You need help, and I'm going to give it." I looked over at him. "Now that we've got that settled, think about what we're going to get when we get to the store. We don't want to keep the poor driver waiting outside all day, and I want to get the stuff back so that we can have lunch and get on our next lesson."

He looked at me in surprise, but nodded, a small smile pulling at his lips as he sat back in his seat. Satisfied that the matter was settled, I turned my gaze to the street and the buildings going by.

* * *

My shopping trip to the store with Cap was –well, a trip. I had no idea what stores were like back in his day, but they were probably nothing like today's markets. Even _I_ had a hard time when it came to grocery shopping, and I was _from_ this century!

He looked absolutely overwhelmed with the variety of items available, and stopped frequently to look things over and ask questions. It was both endearing and annoying, but I kept my cool and did my best to answer him. This was a bit hard, as numerous women passing by stopped to look in Cap's direction, but after I gave them my Evil Eye, they turned and left, though some glared right back.

Once we got out of the packaged items and into the produce aisle, things got much easier. There were a number of fruits and veggies that Cap didn't recognize, but we still managed to make our way through it okay. He agreed to try artichokes, several Asian vegetables, and a few fruits that he sampled and liked. I picked up a few things for myself as well, and from there we moved on to bread, dairy, and the more sinful items, like pastries and junk food.

Bread was difficult, considering that Cap was used to the typical white variety, so we got a loaf of white and a loaf of raisin bread, for toast. Milk was easy, cheese not so much –we did agree on cheddar, in the end, after a round of tasting the different samples available.

The pastry counter nearly killed us, because we couldn't agree on what to get, and what to skip. Eventually, we settled on a container of chocolate chip cookies and called it good. Seriously, with all the arguing we did up and down the aisles, I began to understand what parents and married couples felt like when they shopped!

Cap also couldn't get over how expensive everything was, even for New York. I had to remind him about inflation and the cost of living going up, but it still seemed to shock him, just like everything else. I decided to hide the price of gas from him for a little while –if he heard how much I'd spent monthly on gasoline back home, he might just keel over.

Our arms full of groceries, we made it out to the car and loaded it up, with the driver's help. Exhausted, we collapsed onto the backseats and relaxed. "Well, that was interesting," Cap muttered as we pulled away from the curb.

I blurt out laughing. "If you think _that_ was impressive, I can hardly wait to take you shopping for clothes and stuff. I want to see your eyes pop out of your head when we head into one of New York's legendary shopping centers."

He chuckled. "Try and go easy on a poor soldier, will you? I'm not sure if I want to see if you're as determined in a department store as you are in a grocery."

Reaching out, I smacked him on one arm. "Ha, ha. I'm worse, actually. When it comes to clothes and stuff, I know how to spot a good bargain, thank you very much. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, we'll go to a mall and get you some modern fashions."

When he looked truly offended and hurt, I put a gentle, apologetic hand on his arm. "Believe me, I don't mind the khakis and white T-shirts, or the plaid one you're wearing now, but you need to add a bit of 'class' to your wardrobe. You do need to try and fit in, remember? I can help you with that."

I gave his arm a squeeze. "I'm not trying to change you, Cap. I want you to be yourself, but you do need to have some clothes that all men today possess. Who knows, you might even like some of the stuff we have today."

He still didn't look happy about it, but he didn't argue. I took that as a sign of progress and kept silent until we got back to the apartment. Together, we lugged our food upstairs and put it away, awkwardly avoiding collision until we were done.

"So, what do you want for lunch?" I asked. "Does grilled cheese sound okay?" We also had some canned soup that I'd tossed into the cart, so I figured it would be a good, quick meal.

Cap agreed, and together we managed to pull together a decent lunch. Once everything was eaten and the dishes cleaned, we plopped down in front of the TV, keeping a safe distance between us. A quick scan with the remote revealed that we had cable or satellite, so I brought up a classic film for him to watch while I did a few things on the laptop. I figured that we'd had enough excitement for one day, and being lazy for a bit wouldn't kill us.

As the film began, I felt him shift slightly on the couch beside me. This caused me to look up from the e-mail I was typing to my best friend and brother, which told them a very scaled-down version of my new job in New York.

"So, your grandmother told you stories about me?" he asked, obviously uncomfortable. I turned to look at him, and saw that he was trying very hard _not_ to make eye contact.

"Yeah, she was a big fan of yours," I replied, smiling at the thought of her. "Still is, actually." I caught the puzzled look on his face and explained, "A fan is someone who likes or admires another person, namely singers, actors, heroes, etc. My grandma always thought you were great; a true hero."

Memories flashed through my head. "Her mother's friends had husbands in the army. I think some of those soldiers were men you saved from imprisonment, even death. They traded stories with others, and got news about you through the army grapevine. Those, in turn, got passed to my great-grandmother and grandmother, who passed them on to me."

I blinked my way back to the present. "You're a hero to me, too, you know. I wanted to be like you; a person who was willing to give back to her country by serving it. Even though I grew to dislike guns and am a bit of a coward when it comes to the idea of fighting and killing people, I still gave back by helping my fellow Americans in other ways."

Looking over, I saw he was blushing. "And I'm not just helping you because you're a childhood idol of mine; I truly do want to help in any way I can. You deserve it." I smiled. "Besides, I like helping people."

"Thank you," he said softly, just as the film's opening score began to play.

After that, we sat in somewhat awkward silence, him watching the film while I typed away.

* * *

AN: Sorry for the lack of Cap's POV in this chapter, but he'll be in the next one, promise. Review?


	4. Adjustments and Surprises All Around

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Now the fun with the _**Avengers**_ movie begins! Please be mindful that, since I can't go see the film a billion times to copy it exactly, I'm going to go off of memory, YouTube videos, and my own imagination when it comes to referencing it. Still, please enjoy, and don't forget to review!

**Chapter 4: Adjustments and Surprises All Around:**

Under normal circumstances, getting accustomed to a new roommate takes a lot of time and patience. Unfortunately, I didn't live under 'normal circumstances.'

I'd never had a roommate in my life, and sharing a place with a childhood hero was nerve-wracking, to say the least. But once the shock and thrill had worn off, Cap and I somehow managed to slowly and gently settle in and accept each other as teacher-and-student. However, that didn't stop me from getting second thoughts about the whole situation, though my decision to stay won out.

The fact that Cap was incredibly handsome didn't help matters, at least for me –nor did the fact that he clearly wasn't thrilled about having a girl sharing the apartment with him. Cap tried, once or twice, to get me to move out on my own, but I had to be firm about my staying. It was sweet of him to think about a girl's 'reputation,' and to have such a great moral center, but he really did need to know that our kind of living situation really was acceptable these days.

Our first week together was full of the whole "testing the waters" experience, with both of us discussing our habits, food preferences, and other such things so that we didn't get on each other's nerves all the time. We also worked out a cleaning schedule, and a _very_ rough learning syllabus.

Unfortunately, Cap still wasn't ready to eat out at restaurants yet, and since I wasn't that great of a cook, he offered to be the designated chef for three or four nights a week. I, meanwhile, was able to put together simple, pre-packaged American foods, like grilled cheese, burgers, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, that sort of thing. It was a disaster for my waistline, but during our twice-weekly grocery trips, I was able to slowly introduce healthier foods to our diet, some of which Cap seemed to enjoy. Ethnic and specialty foods were still a long way off, though.

Our lessons were rough, but we managed to pull through them. During our first week, we managed to get through the 1940's, history wise, with a nightly classic film or two before bed. As we started the 1950's, I knew that things would only get more difficult, because _a lot_ happened after the 40's.

I was right about the change in the level of difficulty, because it wasn't until I turned on the radio in my room one night that realized I'd forgotten an important element to Cap's education: music. Music was huge in any culture, and having Cap jump right into today's music might be a bit too much for him –I rather doubted that he'd be used to so much cussing in songs.

So, once again, I had to tweak our syllabus, this time to include music. Luckily, I had taken a music history course in college –the essays I'd written for it were still in my personal computer, which had been shipped to New York. Miraculously, I actually remembered a few artists and songs that would be great to listen to during our lessons, or whenever we were eating our meals or relaxing. Plus, some of the older songs seemed close to what Cap was used to, so that made things a bit easier.

Every day I was thankful that Fury's agents had sent me my personal desktop and laptop computers, so that I could do a quick bit of research before giving Cap a lesson the next day. It made things easier on me, which in turn made things slightly easier in teaching Cap what he needed to know.

Of course, nothing was really "easy" about poor Cap's situation. Sometimes, when he was a bit frustrated over a lesson or feeling angry about his life, he disappeared to the S.H.I.E.L.D gym for a while. I had been alarmed at first, when he'd stalked out of the apartment after one of our history lessons without an explanation, but when he got back a couple hours later, hot and sweaty and fairly calm, he apologized for leaving and explained where he'd gone, and why.

"Boxing helps a bit," he'd said, after cleaning up. "I can just let everything go while hitting the punching bag, and it feels…"

"Therapeutic," I put in, giving him an understanding smile. "That's good. If it clears your mind and helps you let go of your frustrations, I think it'd be good for you to go punch something for a few hours. Lord knows everyone wants to hit something at some point in their day –why shouldn't you?"

Cap had smiled at that, and I immediately decided to add his boxing sessions into our daily schedule. It was actually a good time for the two of us to hang out together: he could punch away his worries, and I could burn some songs onto a CD, ones that had a good beat for him to punch to. It combined his "therapy session" with his music lessons, so it killed two birds with one stone. The music also seemed to cheer him up and revitalize him, too, which made it more rewarding than having him just sit and listen to a playlist.

And while he punched away, I sat and read, listening to "oldies" and the sounds of fists hitting a large leather bag full of sand, which was surprisingly therapeutic for _me_. The sounds of punching fists was almost an indirect way for my frustrations to just pour out, the burden on my shoulders lessening, at least a little, during that time.

Two weeks after our first meeting, things managed to settle into place. Cap grew used to me being around, both at the apartment and at the S.H.I.E.L.D gym, and even managed to relax whenever we went out for groceries. These were all small steps, but good ones, and I was proud of him. Whether he was proud of himself remained to be seen, but I silently hoped that Cap knew how much progress he was making, even if he felt he wasn't.

* * *

Eyes focused on the large punching bag in front of him, Steve hit in time to the lively jazz music playing through the 'CD player' beside Adena, who was reading a book as he worked out. He never told her, but it was kind of nice having someone around, both here and at the apartment. Here at the ring, all of his previous bout sessions had been rather lonely and too quiet, which left him too much time to think and be angry at the world. With Adena around, playing music and just being there for him, was comforting, even if she didn't say anything.

Actually, she had to be the most understanding and patient person in the world, putting up with him as she did. Steve admitted to himself that he, unlike most men, knew nothing about women, and had created all sorts of ideas and thoughts about how it would be, sharing an apartment with a young woman. He'd expected her to take things over and make the place her own, decorating it with all sort of feminine things and forcing him to make his bedroom his sanctuary. He had thought she would expect too much from him in regards to learning about the world, and that she would pinch every penny when it came to buying food and necessities while lecturing him shrilly about everything.

He had been wrong on all counts.

In reality, Adena had taken him grocery shopping and not even blinked at the outrageous prices they cost –not even during the War had items cost so much! Steve had figured that prices would change while he'd been gone, but for them to go so high still shocked him. She had even taken the time to answer his questions about food items without sounding annoyed or frustrated.

When it came to teaching, she actually sat down with him to talk about a learning strategy, as well as a vague outline for them to follow. They didn't have a set timeline or schedule, as she didn't want to rush him in his learning, so they were going at a nice, slow pace that he could keep up with, without being overwhelmed by all of the facts he was being handed.

And rather than lecture him whenever he got frustrated with his lessons, or with life in general, Adena had creatively thought of a way for him to calm down and still learn something. Steve had never thought to merge boxing and music, but it was rather relaxing, even when he was feeling on edge.

"You know, we have to add literature to your learning," Adena called from the bench she was seated on. "There are a lot of books you'll need to at least familiarize with. As soon as I get the time, I'll ask Director Fury for those library cards, so that we can take a trip there."

Rather than answer, Steve merely nodded and kept punching at the bag. Most of the time, he didn't want to pause and talk, because it interrupted his breathing and his rhythm. Tonight, he was feeling a little angrier than usual, because Adena had gently brought up them taking a shopping trip together, and that had upset him considerably.

To give her credit, Adena had very graciously put off this shopping trip for his new clothes because she knew he wasn't ready to face large crowds in a busy setting yet. He could handle their occasional trip to the grocery store well enough, but for the most part, he enjoyed the safe-haven of the apartment. She also knew that he wasn't ready to give in to the modern sense of fashion.

Of course, Steve knew they would eventually have to go clothes shopping, but that didn't stop him from feeling (rather unjustly) that she was going to try and make him into something he wasn't. He'd seen men on the streets and on television who wore stylish getups that Steve wouldn't put on for anything, and the idea of someone pressing that on him was upsetting.

'_I'm a simple guy from Brooklyn_,' he thought angrily. '_I don't need fancy clothes to know who I am_!'

Every time Adena mentioned going shopping, he felt that she was trying to turn him into something he wasn't. Oh, he knew that she was only trying to help him fit in, but a deep part of him wanted to fight and resist the changes that had come while he'd been asleep.

His fists hit the bag with a hard, satisfying, _thwack, thwack, thwack_! There were so many things to remember, and part of him felt that it was almost too much to ask for him to memorize it all. That was immature of him, though; children all over this nation learned about historic events and facts in schools, so why shouldn't he be able to do the same?

'_Because I'm not a child_!' Steve mentally yelled, punching the bag even harder.

He was a grown man being asked to learn things all over again, in a time that wasn't his own. It was crazy, frustrating, and exhausting, and that only made him angrier at everyone and everything.

Fists flying, he hit the bag so hard that it tore off of the chain and burst, sending a stream of sand onto the floor. Looking down at his fallen 'opponent,' Steve felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment as he glanced over at Adena. She simply gave him an amused look –one of her eyebrows was raised as her mouth quirked up in a smile.

His cheeks still red, Steve picked up another punching bag from the floor and hung it up –he'd long learned to keep a row of spare bags handy for this kind of thing. Adena had been surprised that he needed so many spares, but after he'd broken a couple in front of her, she seemed to understand. He'd expected her to be afraid of him and his strength, but she'd declared that she trusted him not to hurt her. Her complete confidence in him keeping her safe was touching, and he greatly appreciated it.

"Can't sleep?" called a voice from across the room. Both Steve and Adena turned to see Director Fury walk calmly into the room.

"Cap's got a bit of frustration that he needs to work out," Adena explained, turning off the jazz music and marking her place in her book. "And it isn't that late."

The Director smiled at her before pulling out a file folder. "I'm afraid it's the Captain that I need to speak with," he said, giving her a pointed look.

Adena immediately understood. "Gotcha," she said, getting up from the bench.

"Wait," Steve blurted out, surprising even himself. "I'm sure she can be trusted with whatever it is."

Both looked at him as though they hadn't heard right, but it was Fury who spoke. "You have a point," he said. "Alright, Miss Philips; I've trusted you with this secret, I might as well trust you with another."

Steve looked at the file with suspicion. "Another way to get me out into the world?" he asked, wiping his hands on a towel.

Fury gave a small, sad smile. "Actually, I'm trying to save it."

* * *

"I cannot believe you are going to help save the world from an alien with a magic Rubix cube," Adena muttered, her eyes and fingers shifting through the file in her hands.

Steve had to hold back a laugh. She'd been saying that for the past hour, ever since they'd gotten back from the gym. In fact, she still couldn't believe that Director Fury trusted her with the file, and had been handling it _very carefully_ ever since it had been passed into her hands. Meanwhile, Steve was just glad that she had shown him what a Rubix cube was.

The problem was simple enough: Loki, who was from a race known as the Asgard, had his sights focused on Earth, and wanted to conquer it. Since Loki now possessed a great power source which he could use to create weapons, Director Fury was compiling a team, known as The Avengers, to protect Earth by retrieving the Tesseract, which was the cube-like power source, and taking down Loki before it was too late. Fury obviously wanted Captain America to be on that team.

In the file was a list of others Fury wanted on the team as well, and he'd asked Steve and Adena to take the file and look it over carefully, so that they knew what they were getting into. "I'll send an agent by tomorrow, to see what you think," he'd said before leaving them to it.

With that, the two of them had gone back to their shared apartment to pour over the documents. The contents were a surprise even to Steve: first, there was a scientist and doctor who, due to a lab experiment gone wrong, could morph into a giant green monster whenever he got upset. Second was another alien being, who had a powerful hammer-like weapon at his disposal, and could control lightning, as well as fly. Third was someone he did _not_ expect.

"Tony Stark?" Adena had half cried, half squealed as she read it. "As in _Iron Man_?"

That last one, Steve still had trouble wrapping his head around. Apparently, his old friend, Howard Stark, the man who helped make him who he was now, had _finally_ settled down and had a son. That son was now a man who was every bit as bright as his father.

'_He's also probably just as popular with women_,' Steve thought with a frown as he pulled a Coke from the refrigerator. He still couldn't forget Howard flirting with Peggy as they'd flown into Germany on Steve's first rescue effort. Peggy hadn't reciprocated, but the memory still annoyed Steve to no end.

Now he was going to have to work with the younger Stark. It seemed that there was no way to escape that family, no matter what decade Steve was in.

"I still can't believe this," Adena muttered as Steve took a seat beside her. "I'm actually handling a top-secret government file that has to do with saving the world from alien invasion. Seriously, it's like I'm living every science fiction fan's dream!"

He reached out and pulled the file from her hands as he asked, "And what do you think about the whole thing?"

She took a deep breath and sat back. "To be honest, I think it's crazy that this is actually happening, but since Director Fury isn't the type to play jokes on people, I believe this is real. And this Avenger thing might work. You'll probably need a good two or three other people in your group, but if you've got brains, brawn, and a guy with a billion weapons and gadgets in his metal flight suit, I think Earth might stand a chance."

Steve smiled. "Which one does that make me? Brawn?"

Adena gave a small laugh, and smacked him gently on the arm. "Silly, you've got both brains _and_ brawn. Most important, you've got experience –you fought in one of the most horrible wars the world has ever known. I think you could offer a lot of wisdom and perspective when it comes to this fight."

He couldn't help it; he blushed. It was a nice thing for her to say, and he was touched at the belief she had in him. How did she manage to give his confidence a lift every time it got so low? She'd done it in regards to his lessons, but now she was helping him when it came to a world crisis.

"Now, the question I have is what Director Fury wants _me_ to do while you're off with these other incredible people," she said, closing the file folder.

That, he hadn't considered. Steve supposed that Adena could stay here, safe and away from danger, but if the fate of the entire world was at stake, did he want her left unprotected and alone? If she stayed with him, he could keep her safe, but that would be up to the Director.

He looked over and saw her yawn hugely. She caught him looking and blushed. "Sorry. I guess I'm worn out. We can talk about this tomorrow morning, once we're rested."

"You're right," Steve agreed. "I'll see you early tomorrow."

Adena wrinkled her nose at him as she headed for her room. "Wonderful. My two least favorite words: early tomorrow." He bit back a laugh as she closed her door behind her.

* * *

After discovering that the world was probably going to end within a week or so, I obviously didn't get much sleep. That kind of thing tends to weigh heavily on the brain, and keeps a person up all night.

Thoughts and worries pulled at me, and always there was a conflict between my brain and my heart. My emotional and sentimental half begged for me to call family, friends, and other loved ones to warn them that the end of the world was coming. I wanted so badly to go spend my last moments with those I cared about, and pray that we all survived whatever was coming.

Obviously, my sensible side knew doing any of that would be a bad idea. I didn't want to cause panic, and part of me reasoned that if Captain America and a bunch of superheroes were going to be fighting for Earth, then there was a chance that they would win, and Earth would be safe. Besides, I doubted that Director Fury would let me put the word out there about an invasion.

Finally, after tossing and turning for hours, I managed to get a bit of sleep, but not much. I felt like crap, and probably looked it, though I didn't dare look at my reflection in the mirror, for fear of breaking it. Instead, I merely washed up, dressed, gathered up my self-control, and began my day.

When I set foot in the kitchen, I noticed that Cap looked troubled, but pretty well-rested for a guy who was being called on to save the world. Then again, after all of the missions he'd been on during WWII, he was probably used to this sort of thing.

Somehow, in my sleep-deprived haze, I managed to choke down some scrambled eggs, bacon, and a glass of milk. I wasn't a coffee drinker, but given how exhausted I felt, I was seriously considering buying some when a loud, authoritative knock sounded on the door.

Cap rushed to open it, and in walked an agent with a surprisingly kind face. "Sir, Miss, I'm Agent Coulson. Director Fury sent me to fetch you. I'm afraid we need to go, now. There's a car parked out front –it will take the three of us to an airfield where an aircraft is waiting to transport us to our destination."

I stared at him in surprise and confusion. "Wait, what? You want _me_ to go along with him? Wouldn't I be safer _away_ from all of the action?"

Agent Coulson shook his head. "Director Fury feels that you will be safer where we're going, at least for right now. We don't know what Loki's plan is, but being surrounded by some of the best agents and fighters in the world is going to be your best bet, at least until the Director says otherwise."

"Or it could make for an interesting bit of target practice for the bad guys," I retorted. "I mean, wouldn't that be the first place evil people hit: a base belonging to the good guys?"

For a second, I thought that Agent Coulson looked amused, but it was overpowered by exasperation. "Director Fury thought you might say that. So, he also says that you _are_ going to travel along with Captain America here, because he doesn't want him getting rusty when it comes to learning what he has to about modern life. How does that sound?"

Not wanting to be shot for being stubborn and stupid, I nodded in agreement. "Good point. Do I have time to grab some things?"

"Only what you can carry on your back," he replied. "And do it _quickly_."

For the second time in a month, I grabbed my purse, which was practically a survival kit. I had _way_ too much crap in there, but at least I was prepared for an emergency like this one –fruit bars, a small bottle of water, band-aids, sanitizer for the hands, a Swiss pocket knife, and a dozen or so other things sat in the large leather satchel that was my handbag. Some items had always been in there, but others were recent additions, as I tended to want to be prepared.

Also into my bag when a couple spare sets of clothes, and the tablet and its power cord, as well as a backup battery, just in case. My bag now weighed heavily on my shoulder, but at least I was prepared. Cap seemed to think I was insane for lugging all this around, but I ignored him in favor of following Coulson out the door, while Cap locked up.

Things were silent in the car, with me seated between Agent Coulson and Cap all the way to the airport. My brain kept going over the fact that I was unwillingly going to a top secret location, where a bunch of superheroes would be gathering to save the world from alien invasion. Even with some of the most gifted fighters around me, I couldn't help but feel that just being in such a place was like drawing a huge target on my back and waiting for the bad guys to shoot me.

'_I want out of this_!' I repeatedly screamed inside my head as we pulled up to the airstrip, which was out in the middle of nowhere. Somehow, I rather doubted escape was possible, not when I could be taken down if I tried to make a break for it.

"Well, on we go," Agent Coulson said, nodding towards the black aircraft nearby as we slid out of the car. "Shall we?"

I suppose I should have known better: when it comes to secret government air travel, never expect the commercial-grade stuff. Instead of a regular plane, we had a wicked-looking aircraft that looked like it belonged in an action movie or spy video game. Subtle, it was not.

Cap very gentlemanly handed me up the ramp, into the craft and took a seat beside me, the two of us buckling in as Agent Coulson gave the order to take off.

* * *

AN: Let the adventure begin! Please review!


	5. Idols, Heroes and Villains All Around

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Okay, to write the story from here on out, I'm going to have to use my memories of the film, as well as trailers and movie snippets I find on YouTube. I'm also going to change a few things a bit, given that Adena is in the story, so it might work out for the best (probably). Enjoy the chapter, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 5: Idols, Heroes and Villains All Around:**

Apparently, our ride out to the 'secret base of operations for saving the world' was a long one. Go figure.

Needless to say, I was glad that I'd brought the tablet, and so was Cap, because it meant we wouldn't be bored out of our minds. We even managed to finish a history documentary on music in the 1950's that I'd previously downloaded, which he found interesting. There was no Internet on the aircraft, so after the documentary, I put the tablet away to preserve the battery, and instead brought out a small book to read.

I was a couple pages in before I realized that Cap was trying to read over my shoulder. More amused than annoyed, I teased, "Bored already?"

He blinked, cheeks turning red as he sat back. "Sorry. I guess I should have thought ahead and brought something for myself. I really didn't think that this would be a long flight."

Wow, was he good at making me feel guilty! I bit back a sigh and tucked my book away. "Okay, how about I quiz you on what you've learned? Or we could play a game, if you want, to pass the time?"

Agent Coulson winced. "Please don't; it reminds me of road trips I took as a kid. Besides, we're nearly there, so don't worry."

I shrugged, but still kept my stuff put away. Instead, I leaned back against the seat, my eyes turning towards the windows up front. I could see nothing but sky and sea, which made me think that we must be headed out to an aircraft carrier or some huge navy-type ship in the middle of the ocean. I felt my stomach twitch –boats and I did _not_ go together.

Madly grabbing for my handbag, I pulled out my little medicine bottle and tipped out a motion-sickness pill. I found the small bottle of water I kept there, and downed both of them fast. Agent Coulson gave me an odd look, but Cap looked amused.

"I get seasick," I retorted, putting the bottles away. "Believe me; you do _not_ want me being sick all over whatever ship you're putting us on!"

Cap actually snickered, but tried to hide it as I glared at him. "I'm going to ignore you now," I told him, turning away from him a little while pulling out my book again. He sniffled a little, so I could tell he was still trying not to laugh. I ignored him, and instead got back to my book.

As I read, Cap began to get incredibly bored. From out of nowhere, Agent Coulson produced a government issue, high-tech, clear tablet that was _way_ better than my own. As Coulson pulled up a few files of information, I tried to listen in on their conversation, without looking as though I were listening in.

"…so, Dr. Banner was trying to recreate the circumstances that made me what I am?" Cap asked as he looked at the information before him.

Coulson nodded. "You were the world's first superhero," he said, trying to mask the admiration in his voice. "We've been trying a long time to formulate the serum that was given to you, with little to no success. When he isn't a big green monster, he's like Stephen Hawking."

Cap must have given the Agent a blank look, because he explained, "Um, a really smart person."

After a few minutes, Agent Coulson cleared his throat. "Sir, I wanted you to know that it's great meeting you, officially," he stuttered, sounding, oddly enough, like a fan would when meeting their idol. "I sort of met you. I mean, I watched you, while you were sleeping."

_That_ got my attention. Glancing over at Cap, I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing, the awkward look on his face almost causing me to drop my book as I doubled over. In the end, I had to wipe away tears as Agent Coulson realized how his words sounded.

"I mean, I was present while you were unconscious…from the ice," he said as Cap got up to look out the front window. Like an eager puppy, Coulson followed suit. "You know, it's a huge honor, having you onboard."

Swallowing the rest of my laughter, I put my book away. This was _far_ more fun!

"Well, I hope I'm the right man for the job," Cap softly replied, staring off into nothing, a sad look on his face.

"Oh, you are," Agent Coulson put in. "Absolutely." He paused for a second before continuing. "We've made some, um, modifications to the uniform." I watched in amusement as a look of pride and excitement swept over his face. "I had a little 'design input'."

Surprised, Cap looked over at him. "The uniform?" he asked in disbelief. "Aren't the Stars and Stripes a little…old-fashioned?"

Now it was Coulson's turn to give a sad smile. "With everything that's happening, with everything that's about to come to light…people might just need a little 'old-fashioned'."

Cap didn't look convinced as he returned to his seat. From the way he hung his head, I could tell that he was beginning to doubt himself, and needed a bit of a confidence boost. Leaning over, I nudged him with my elbow.

"He's right, you know," I softly told him. "Sometimes, we need a bit of the good old Stars and Stripes to make us feel patriotic. Americans love their country, but sometimes it gets buried deep under all of the pressures we feel from daily life. We need _you_, Captain America, to bring it back out, especially during dark times. We need to see someone wearing our national symbols to give us strength and determination, to make us want to fight for what we believe in, rather than let someone take it away from us."

For a moment, he didn't say anything, didn't even look up. When he did, it was at me, and he had a tiny smile on his face. "You are one interesting girl, Adena. Did you know that?"

I blushed and jabbed him with my elbow again. "Nah, just a patriotic one. You know; God Bless America, and all that."

He chuckled as a voice crackled over the radio, interrupting us. A stream of orders came over the airwaves, and through the crackling static, I managed to make out a few tidbits: apparently we were cleared for landing, as was another aircraft.

Curious as to who else was going to join the "party," I made sure that all my stuff was tucked away, and strapped myself in.

* * *

Landing on solid ground was one thing; landing on an aircraft carrier was something else! In fact, the jolt from our setting down practically gave me whiplash, and as I stepped off onto the tarmac, I briefly considered suing SHIELD for damages. Then again, I didn't want to give Director Fury an excuse to shoot me, so I decided to let it go.

Once Cap had helped me onto the ship's deck, I noticed Agent Romanoff heading our way, a slightly ruffled man standing a short distance behind her. She looked a lot different this time around, in black pants and a black jacket over a red top. I could see that she was "packing heat," but didn't say anything. Instead, I smiled and went over to her, trying to ignore the sensation of the sea under my feet.

"Agent Romanoff," I said, reaching out to take her hand. "It's good to see a familiar face."

She returned my smile and handshake. "You can call me Natasha. And it's good to see you, too, Miss Philips. I'm sorry we didn't get to chat more during our first encounter, but I always try to keep a safe distance from people in my line of work."

I waved her words aside. "Oh, I totally get it. Don't worry about it. And call me Adena."

Natasha glanced over my shoulder. "Coulson, they want you inside." Looking over at him, I saw him nod before giving me one last smile as he left. Natasha then turned her attention towards Cap. "So, did he ask you to sign his trading cards yet?"

Cap looked amused and puzzled. "Trading cards?"

Natasha nodded. "He's a great admirer of yours. Apparently they're in near-mint condition. He's very proud of them."

Trying not to laugh, I looked over at the other man and casually asked, "So, who's this?"

"Dr. Bruce Banner," the man replied, sticking out a hand to shake mine and Cap's.

"Adena Philips," I said, wondering how this quiet, nice guy could turn into a giant rage monster. "This is Steve Rogers."

The boat must have hit a wave, because I felt the vessel shift under my feet. Almost immediately, I sensed my age-old nemesis, seasickness, rise up in my stomach, and felt myself go pale. The others looked at me with worried expressions on their faces, so I forced myself to put on a brave face and a weak smile.

"Sorry," I apologized. "It's just that the sea and I don't go together very well."

Natasha nodded in understanding. "You might want to get inside," she said, smiling a little. "It's going to get a little hard to breathe soon."

Cap and Dr. Banner exchanged glances as the ship began to shake, the sound of moving machinery filling the air. "Is this a submarine?" Cap asked, genuinely curious.

Dr. Banner looked slightly amused. "Really? They want _me_ in a contained, submersible container?"

I was nearly thrown off my feet as the vessel shifted again. "What the hell?" I asked as Cap reached out to steady me.

Smirking, Natasha jerked her head towards the edge. Curious in spite of myself, I grabbed hold of Cap's arm (which was very solidly built) and let him lead me to look over it, Dr. Banner coming up beside me. My eyes almost popped out of my head as the water dipped, churned, frothed and crashed, the ship clanking and grinding as it did something to cause the water's alarming movements. And then it happened.

"No freaking way!" I yelled as two huge propellers lifted up out of the water. From the noise coming from the other side, there were two other ones there as well. This wasn't a ship; it was a giant hovercraft!

"No freaking way!" I couldn't help yelling again as Cap dragged me back from the edge, a look of excitement and awe on his face.

I didn't have time to say anything more, because at that point, I was dragged inside by two guys and a female super-spy.

* * *

I'll give this ship credit for two things: first, getting me up and over the ocean, which hated me; and second, making me so hyped up over this craft's awesomeness that I completely forgot about being seasick.

Inside, the place almost had me falling over in amazement at how cool and hi-tech it was. I was no computer nut, but even I began to want some of the systems being used by the dozens of agents around me.

"This is _so_ cool," I whispered, my eyes trying to look everywhere at once. Beside me, Cap was looking very impressed, too, and often stopped to see what was happening on the monitors.

A hand gently rested on my shoulder, causing me to turn. It was Natasha Romanoff, and with her was a male agent in black. "Sorry, Adena, but would you please follow this agent to your quarters? The Captain is needed on some top-secret business. I'll send him by when he's done."

Needless to say, I was disappointed, but I still agreed to go…after one quick question. "Um, Natasha? Aren't people going to notice a giant hovercraft like this overhead? I mean, it's not exactly subtle."

The male agent smiled. "They won't see us, not with the technology we've got onboard."

I gaped at him. "You guys have a _cloaking device_?" Cap poked my shoulder, getting my attention. Turning, I saw that he looked confused. "A cloaking device makes something invisible to the eye," I explained to him. "I'd only read about it in sci-fi books; I didn't think it _existed_ yet."

The male agent cleared his throat and motioned for me to follow him. "Miss Philips?"

"I guess I'll see you later," I told Cap, who nodded. He didn't seem happy about my leaving, but he let me go without causing a scene.

Holding tight to my belongings, I followed my escort deep into the craft.

* * *

My 'quarters' were comfortable enough, though they were rather stark. But given that this place ran with near military-grade precision and uniform, it was no wonder the rooms were so generic.

On the plus side, I had a comfy bed at my disposal, as well as my own mini-fridge, mini-freezer, and microwave. There was even a hot beverage maker that I could use to make hot tea or cocoa, which were stored in a small group of cabinets around the little kitchenette area. There were plugs for me to charge my tablet with, and a couple lamps, chairs and tables. On a wall opposite the bed was a large, clear screen/monitor/television where I could watch…whatever they had to watch on this thing.

A connecting door led to my own tiny bathroom, with a small shower, sink and toilet, as well as all the necessities in a mirror cabinet above the sink. That was good, since I'd forgotten to bring my bathing and tooth cleaning tools along with me.

I was given a keycard by the agent (who wouldn't give me his name), and told that, per Director Fury's orders, it would get me into most of the areas onboard, except for the super-high clearance areas. This, I tucked into my jeans' pocket while the agent explained that I was welcome to sit here and amuse myself, or I could go explore the hallways and familiarize myself with the ship.

Since there was no way I was going to sit around and do nothing, I decided to go exploring.

* * *

If my brother knew what I was experiencing, he'd have wet himself in excitement while turning green with envy. Top-secret government agency hovercraft with the best technology in the world = total awesomeness.

The inside of an invisible, flying, secret government aircraft was as cool as anything I'd ever seen. Armed with the keycard provided oh-so-kindly by Director Fury, I gave myself my own tour of the place. Occasionally, I had to bother an occasional agent or two for directions, but given that this _was_ an airship, I could only stay lost for so long.

Sadly, I wasn't allowed to see much, since I was still 'technically' a civilian, but I did manage to find Dr. Banner's lab, which was as cool as the rest of the ship. Since Cap was still meeting with other people (probably Director Fury), I decided to hang around with the doctor and listen to him talk about how he'd become what he was.

"I just wanted to find a way to make humankind less susceptible to gamma radiation," he said, his voice tinged with a touch of sadness and despair. "Instead, I got a lot more than I bargained for."

My heart went out to the pour guy. He had only wanted to help his fellow man, and was now having to watch himself, so that he didn't turn into a huge, green rage-monster that could level a city in a day. As he sat, looking at one of the clear computer screens, I put a hand on his arm, saying nothing for a while. I think he just needed a listening ear, and a friend, so I decided to give that to him.

When he saw how sad he'd made me, Dr. Banner gave me a small smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," he apologized. "Let me tell you about my travels around the world instead, hm?"

I gave him a genuine, interested smile. "I'd like that, Dr. Banner."

"Call me Bruce," he said, before launching into a story about his adventures in South America.

Bruce was just beginning to talk about Canada when there was a knock on the metal door panel. "Adena?" called a voice from the door.

Turning, I felt my jaw drop. "Wow," I breathed in awe, my knees going slightly weak. Thank goodness I was sitting, because I would definitely have needed a chair at the sight of the man that stood there.

It was Captain America. Dressed in full gear, his form-fitting uniform on and his shield strapped across his back, it was my idol. He even had his mask on!

As he awkwardly cleared his throat, Cap's equally awkward smile snapped me back to reality. "Adena, it's still me," he said pointedly.

Blinking away the dreamy look that was probably in my eyes, I smiled back at him. "Oh, I know," I assured him. "It's just cool seeing you like this. You can't really blame a girl for going all gooey-eyed when seeing her idol."

Then it really hit me. "You're going out on a mission, aren't you?" I asked, my stomach sinking to my feet. At his nod, I had to swallow hard. "You'll be careful, won't you? Because I'll be _very_ disappointed in you if you die."

Cap chuckled and came to put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be careful. Agent Romanoff will be with me, so I'll have backup."

Oh, well, at least he'd have help. "Okay, but either way, don't do anything stupid," I firmly told him. "I've worked too hard educating you for you to die on me now!"

This time both he and Bruce laughed. Rather than taking the bait, I asked, "Where are you heading?"

"Germany," Cap replied, surprising me.

I stared at him. "Why there?"

He shifted his shield a little. "Loki has put on an appearance there. Director Fury wants me to go retrieve him, to get him to tell us where the Cube is."

That didn't sound so hard, but then, I should know better than to assume that –from what I saw on the news and in movies, missions always seemed easy on paper, but once it was time to carry them out, things tended to get messy.

"Remember to watch your back," I told him. "I'll have your next lesson for you when you get back, so you'd better be there."

A flash of emotion shone in Cap's eyes, but when he blinked, it was gone. "I promise to come back," he whispered.

I could almost see the thoughts in his head. The last time he'd gone out on a mission, he ended up missing seventy years of history, with all of his friends and loved ones passing away. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't having even miniscule second thoughts right now.

The sound of footsteps on the metal flooring drew our attention to the doorway. Natasha stood there, clad in a tight catsuit. Thinking of my own body, I almost died of envy right then and there. She must have seen the look on my face, because she winked at me.

"Time to go, Captain," she said. "We've got business to take care of."

Acting on impulse, I reached out and gave Cap a hug around the waist, since I couldn't reach his neck without standing on my tiptoes. He was surprised at my sudden show of affection, but managed to return it, hugging me around the waist with one arm in a brief squeeze.

"Be careful," I reminded him, tilting my head back as I pulled away.

He nodded. "Go and have fun talking with Dr. Banner. I'll be back before you know it."

That still didn't stop me from worrying, even as I watched him vanish down the hallway. A gentle hand on my arm drew my attention back to Bruce, who invited me to play with the scientific equipment as a distraction.

Unable to resist the urge to tinker with government property, I sat down and began exploring the many gadgets strewn around the countertops. The back of my mind still stayed focused on Cap, though.

* * *

AN: Review?


	6. Idols, Heroes and Villains Part II

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: More fun to be had in this chapter! Please be kind and review. Thanks!

**Chapter 6: Idols, Heroes and Villains All Around, Part II:**

Even in a government aircraft, the flight to Germany was a long one, and that gave Steve plenty of time to think –which wasn't always a good thing.

It didn't feel right, leaving Adena alone in a place where she didn't know anyone, but it had to be done. A dangerous being was loose on Earth, and to keep that danger from spreading, Steve had to go face it and bring it in. It was his job.

That didn't make him feel any better, though.

Despite the fact that he trusted Dr. Banner to keep her company and preoccupied, Steve still felt uneasy about the good doctor being a safe person for Adena to be around. The man was a science experiment gone wrong, and one small thing could set him off as a danger to all those around him. It was only a matter of time before that happened.

'_On the other hand, Adena seemed to like him, and vice versa, so maybe the situation will work out all around_,' he thought, trying to stay positive. What surprised him was that the only thing Adena seemed genuinely worried about was _his_ safety, rather than her own.

Steve felt himself blush a little under his mask. It had been so long since someone worried about him, he'd almost forgotten what it felt like. The last person to tell him to be careful, either in those words or in others, had been Peggy, right before he'd lost contact with her.

He winced, as he always did whenever he thought about her. Peggy had been the first and only woman to ever express interest in him, and he'd lost her after only a single kiss. Inside, his heart still pained for the long-promised dance, the one that he had never been able to give to her.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he tried to focus on the young woman who was alive and here in the present, the one he'd left behind again. He didn't care about Adena the way he did about Peggy, but he did like her; she was a good teacher, a good supporter of him, and most important of all, she was a good friend.

'_I need her_,' he admitted to himself. '_I need her with me, to put up with me and to be there for me, because I've got no one else in this century who cares about me_.'

When she'd hugged him and told him to be careful, it'd lifted his confidence, just when he had needed it the most. If that could be a superpower, it would certainly be Adena's. Steve didn't relish leaving her alone, burdened with the news that he was going to be facing one of the greatest threats the world had ever known. He'd seen the worry on her face, and had promised to be back, just like he'd promised Peggy…

Squeezing his hands into fists, Steve ground his teeth and tried to focus on the task at hand. Adena would be alone, but she would be safe –there were hundreds, if not a thousand, skilled agents onboard that ship. Steve had full faith in them being able to look after the one civilian among them.

"Thinking about Adena?" asked a voice in front of him.

Looking up, Steve was startled to see Agent Romanoff standing there, arms crossed as she smirked in amusement. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said. "You seemed to be lost in thought. Given your current situation, I suspected that might be what's on your mind."

He was glad the mask his some of his blush. "I was, a little," he replied, bending the truth a bit.

She nodded at him, an approving look on her face. "Good. I like her. Nice girl, good sense, funny, and sweet –she's the complete opposite of me, of course, but still, I like her."

Steve had to smile at that. "Yeah, I do, too."

Agent Romanoff reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't forget to tell her that. Women like to be told that people consider them friends."

Something beeped on the control panel of the plane, causing them both to look over at the pilot. "There seems to be a situation," the man said. "You'd better be ready for some action."

Exchanging glances and nods with Agent Romanoff, Steve got to his feet. It was time to get to work.

* * *

I don't know how long I sat there, worried out of my mind for Cap. Bruce had done a great job at keeping me distracted for so long, but after a while, I think he saw how I was feeling.

"You should go ask Director Fury about getting information of some kind," he suggested.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure _that_ will go over really well," I sarcastically replied. "It's supposed to be a top-secret, save-the-world mission nobody is supposed to know about. What do I say? 'Hey, Director, I would like to look in Captain America while he's in Germany, battling the evil alien who is trying to conquer the world'?"

"That can be arranged," said a voice from behind me. It was Director Fury.

The word 'busted' flashed through my head as I slowly turned around. In accordance to Murphy's Law, one of the people I'd been talking about had walked in at just the wrong (or right) moment. Swallowing hard, I could only smile weakly as he came up to stand in front of me.

"I don't blame you for being anxious," he said, "though I do think it's a bit early for you to be worrying about someone you've only known for a few weeks."

My cheeks went red as Bruce tried to hide a grin. "I can't help it, sir," I softly replied. "Even after so short a time, I consider Cap to be a good man and a friend. Since I tend to worry a lot about my friends, it sort of just comes with the territory."

The Director eyed me closely, but smiled nonetheless. "All right," he said with a brisk nod. "As soon as they've arrived there, I'll relay a feed of the video we've got for that area and stream it to your quarters. You can watch it from there."

As he turned to leave, I quickly realized something. "Wait!" I called, stopping him in his tracks. "Could I go to meet him at the docking bay, when he comes back? If it's not too much trouble, sir?"

Without turning around, he answered, "I'll arrange to have Coulson take you down there."

"See?" Bruce chimed after we were alone. "That wasn't so hard."

Scowling, I turned and glared at him. "If I didn't already know you could turn into a rage machine and knock me through the floor, I'd slap you."

The dope had the nerve to laugh at me, even as I rolled my eyes and left for my quarters.

* * *

Hours later, after a good meal brought to me by a sympathetic Agent Coulson – who asked me to call him Phil – I found myself waking up in bed, groggy and in a bad mood. Since I'd fallen asleep right after eating, I could only guess that Phil had drugged me, probably under orders by the Director. He probably knew that I wouldn't sleep well, and had thought to 'help' me a bit. I didn't know whether to thank him or kick him when we next met.

However, after I'd brushed my teeth and cleaned up, there _was_ a live feed from Germany streaming directly into my television screen, so I guess I could forgive him.

Watching the footage, I couldn't help but get even more worried, and more than a bit scared. A flood of terrified people poured out of a large palace-like building, and among them was a man wearing a horned helmet, strange armor, and wielding a staff with a glowing orb of some kind. I immediately knew him to be Loki, the being who wanted to conquer Earth.

But as odd as he looked, I took one glance at his face and knew that running away from him was the best policy. The eerie gleam in his eye hinted at insanity, and crazy people tended to do horrible things.

With a slow, purposeful stride, he walked behind the fleeing people, only to somehow appear in front of and around them, effectively trapping the people in a ring of his own projected image. Watching in horror, I saw him force them all to kneel before him. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was enough to make one man stand up to him.

My breath caught in my throat as Loki threw a bolt of energy towards the poor old man, but I let out a cheer as Cap landed right between them, reflecting the bolt back at Loki with his shield. As the would-be conqueror avoided the blast, Cap approached him, seeming to lecture or possibly insult him. Loki merely smiled and threw words back at him, causing the two to engage in a fist-fight that had me holding my breath.

Suddenly, an aircraft came into the scene, and I could see Natasha seated in the front, ready to shoot down her enemy. Loki let loose another few blasts, but he was taken down by a rather well-timed attack that did _not_ come from Natasha's ship. Everyone in the square seemed confused for a moment, looking around for whatever it was, when from out of nowhere, _Iron Man_ appeared!

I almost squealed in excitement, but caught myself in time. My excitement turned to laughter as Iron Man proceeded to point his entire arsenal at Loki, leading to the Asgardian's surrender.

Clapping, I watched as Natasha landed the aircraft while Cap and Iron Man kept Loki down until she could slap some restraints onto Loki's wrists. The three of them then escorted their prisoner to the waiting aircraft, which sat nearby.

After they had boarded, I turned off the screen and skipped out into the hallway, though I managed to quickly calm myself down when a few passing agents gave me some odd looks. Making my way to Bruce's lab, I plopped myself down on a stool and beamed happily at him.

"I take it they won?" he asked, eyes still focused on his scientific work.

"Yup!" I chimed, swinging my feet back and forth like a little kid.

He still didn't look up, though from the tilt of his head, I could tell I still had his attention. "They'll be on their way back soon," I said, stopping my movements. "Probably won't be here for a while, given the distance."

"Are you going to meet them?" Bruce asked, plugging a few scientific equations into his computer.

I rolled my eyes. "Duh," I replied, before taking a closer look at him. "Bruce, when did you last eat?" I asked pointedly. "You look like you haven't slept, either."

He shook his head. "I can't afford to sleep, or even take a break –this is too important. I'll rest when I finish."

Again, I rolled my eyes. "You won't be good for anything if you don't at least eat something. I'm going to go bug a person for food. I'll be right back."

* * *

In thirty minutes, I'd managed to find the ship's cafeteria (thanks to directions from some helpful agents), and procure something for Bruce and me to eat.

I was pretty surprised that the food served this time around was a big step above what I normally saw served in a cafeteria –in fact, it functioned like a gourmet fast-food joint. The burgers were high-quality beef, the fries freshly cooked, and the pasta looked as though it were not only house-made, but was also being cooked in accordance to the tastes of the person ordering. There were even fresh fruit and veggies available, either whole or in salads, and steaks being grilled to-order.

Not knowing what Bruce might like, I picked up burgers for the two of us, both plain, with toppings on the side. There were fries, of course, and bottled water for him but a soda for me. I carried my burdens to his lab in paper bags provided by the rather helpful cook staff, and immediately set them down on a nearby counter.

"Food's up!" I said cheerfully, getting his attention.

The smell of a hot, freshly cooked meal pulled him away long enough to snag a handful of fries. "Great timing," he said, mouth full. "I've got just one last thing to do; then we can eat."

When the last equation was plugged into the system, Bruce finally dropped what he was doing and joined me. "You know," he said around a mouthful of burger, "I haven't had a burger in ages." He swallowed and reached for his fries. "I've been in India for the past several months, and had to eat like the locals. Since they don't eat beef, I had to make do."

I tried not to laugh at the way Bruce seemed to savor his meal, and simply concentrated on my own. When we finished stuffing ourselves, Bruce finally agreed to close his eyes for a bit. I offered him my cabin, but he said that his lab had a small sleeping area; he'd go make use of that, so that I could nap in my room before Cap and Natasha got back.

With a food coma settling in, I decided to take his advice and lay down, just to rest my eyes.

* * *

By the time I woke up, Cap still wasn't back. Needless to say, that made me _very_ worried.

Keeping my impatience and worry in check, I went to the upper decks and found Director Fury looking out from his platform. Approaching him, I opened my mouth to get his attention, but that turned out to be unnecessary. "Problem, Miss Philips?" he asked, without turning around.

I don't know how he knew I was there, but I decided not to question it. "Um, sir," I said, coming up behind him. "I was wondering why they haven't returned yet with their prisoner."

He turned, his face very serious. "They had a bit of an issue on the way back." I raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking him to explain further. "Loki's brother, Thor, decided to step in and try to have a little heart-to-heart with him. It didn't go very well, especially after Stark decided to get involved."

My stomach churned, and for a second, I thought my burger would make a second, less appetizing appearance. "Was anyone hurt? I mean, if Thor is as powerful as Loki, then…"

Director Fury shook his head. "Everyone's fine. They should be landing in thirty minutes, so you've got time to head to the docking bay. Agent Coulson will take you there."

I followed his line of sight over my shoulder. Sure enough, Phil stood waiting not far away, a polite smile on his face. "Shall we?" he asked.

I didn't hesitate to follow, though I did make sure to thank the Director as I left.

* * *

On the way down to the docking area, I was a mess of nervousness and anxiety. I had studied Norse mythology very briefly in college, and remembered that Thor was the god of war and lightning. If Cap got in a fight with him, I could only imagine the type of injuries he might have sustained.

'_Relax_,' I firmly told myself. '_This is Cap we're talking about_! _He survived being a science experiment, fighting Nazis, and being a Popsicle for seventy years_!'

And Director Fury hadn't mentioned anyone being hurt in any way, so he had to be okay…right?

By the time Phil and I got there, the plane had landed, and there was a mob of heavily-armed and masked soldiers standing before the craft, waiting for those onboard to disembark. As I watched, the rear of the craft opened, and out came a huge blonde man in armor, escorting Loki off of the vessel with a firm hand on the back of his prisoner's neck. Loki seemed to say something to him, but the other man, probably Thor, merely gave him a rough shake to shut him up.

The guards quickly surrounded the prisoner and began to slowly lead him off to the side, away from the aircraft, while the others filed off. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief as Cap appeared, unharmed, but looking exhausted. Glancing over at Phil, I saw him give a nod, silently indicating that it was okay for me to go and see him.

Somehow, I managed not to run, but instead walked very quickly to meet Cap and Natasha, who had come out right behind him. I gave Natasha a quick hug, which she returned, and then switched my attention to Cap.

"You didn't die," I teased while fighting the urge to hug him as well. I don't know why, but I suspected that looking a little too cozy with Captain America in public might not be a good thing.

Cap, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and smiled. "I try." His smile turned into a grin. "Still, it's nice to know that you have faith in me."

The sound of heavy metal footsteps drew my attention towards the aircraft, and I immediately felt my eyes widen. "Oh, my God," I gaped, trying not to go completely fan-girl at the sight.

"Hi," the man said, holding out a hand that was still encased in his infamous suit. "Tony Stark."

Smiling, I rolled my eyes and took the offered hand. "Thanks," I sarcastically replied. "I really couldn't tell, because I've been under a rock for the past several years."

Tony actually had the nerve to grin at me. "Wow, you look great for someone who lives under rocks," he commented.

I looked over at Cap. "Smack him with your shield for me, will you?" I asked.

Cap merely smirked while Natasha quieted a laugh. Tony, meanwhile, grinned even wider. "I think I like you," he said. "And your name is?"

"Adena Philips," I replied. "And I think we can all get to know each other better later, once you've all had a break? Fighting evil and crossing time zones can be exhausting."

All three took the hint and began heading deeper into the ship. Sensing something behind me, I turned and almost collided with a metal wall, which, upon my looking upwards, turned out to be Thor. The giant warrior looked deadly and serious, but there was a glimmer of humor in his blue eyes that spoke of a gentle side. There probably wasn't _much_ of a soft side to him, but he still seemed like a nice guy.

"Lady Adena," he said, bowing. "I am Thor."

I swallowed hard. "Hi," I managed to strangle out, trying not to feel intimidated. "Wow, you are a really big guy."

He laughed; a nice, hearty sound that was full of amusement. "Indeed. But, I am afraid that I am weary from my battle with the others. Is there a place I might rest for a time?"

Someone came up and cleared his throat behind me. Turning, I saw Phil take an 'at ease' stance. "I can help you there. If you'll please follow me? Adena, I imagine it will be a while before you get to meet up with the others. Director Fury will want to talk to them first, but when they're done, I'll let you know."

At my nod, Phil led Thor into the ship, leaving me feeling a bit at a loss at what to do now. Oh, well; I guess I could get a bit of work done, prepping for Cap's next lesson. Maybe, if I asked nicely, I could get someone to tell me if this flying fortress had internet access.

I had barely gone three steps towards the exit before I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Glancing discreetly over my shoulder, I saw Loki gazing at me with such intensity that it made me go cold with fear. But rather than give into that fear, I merely broke free of his stare and walked away. I did not want to give him the pleasure of knowing what merely his gaze did to me.

* * *

Watching the woman retreat, Loki felt an immense surge of satisfaction. He had frightened her; he could see it in her eyes as she fled from him.

As his guards led him down to whatever pathetic prison these mortals had for him, Loki found himself smirking. The girl was a weakness for these so-called 'heroes' that had been called upon to fight him; she had certainly endeared herself to the man from another time. The female spy thought well of her, and the arrogant one in the weapon-filled metal suit already enjoyed her company. This girl was a chink in their armor, one that could easily be exploited in his desires to conquer this world.

'_But there is something else about her_,' Loki thought to himself as he was led lower and deeper into the ship.

He had never encountered a female like her; not on Asgard, and not in his mad travels throughout the galaxy. Not that he'd had much experience with the Asgardian ladies, but from what he'd observed, the women of Asgard were either dignifiedly stoic, or flirty things who could be quiet foolish. The only one who seemed remotely interesting was Lady Sif, and she had possessed no desire whatsoever in being courted by any man.

But this girl, this Adena Philips…she interested him. There was something inside her that shone warm and bright that called to him, and for once, Loki began to see how a mortal woman could have caught Thor's attention.

'_Not that __**I**__ will go soft_,' he scoffed as he was escorted to what was clearly a prison area. The very idea was ridiculous.

But she could be useful to him. Once his plan fell into place, he would see why she seemed unique –but only _after_ he'd had his revenge on Thor, and brought all of Earth to its knees.

* * *

AN: A bit of everyone in this chapter, with more to follow. Review?


	7. Hanging with the Geniuses

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Shorter chapter this time around, but it's just how this part played out. Please enjoy, and don't forget to review! Thanks!

**Chapter 7: Hanging with the Geniuses:**

I guessed that it would be at least an hour or two before I'd see any of the others, so I put together a list of quick lessons for Cap, in case he had time for them. He probably wouldn't, since he was busy trying to save the world, but I liked to be prepared.

Once that was done, I grabbed a quick bite to eat, and sat down to see what there was to watch on the television/monitor/screen on my wall. To my surprise, I found a few movies saved into the system, some of which hadn't even been released yet. Given that this was super-secret government agency, however, I suppose that shouldn't have come as a shock –though it did make me feel a bit spoiled, having the chance to watch them before the public did.

After a few hours, I tossed aside my remote and went looking for everyone. I guessed that Bruce would be back in his lab by now, so I headed that way, hoping that he would drop a few hints as to what had been discussed in their little "super hero" meeting.

I was right, of course –Bruce was there, but he had company. Working with him was Tony Stark, who was busy throwing around scientific terms and ideas that went way over my head. It was kind of fun watching the two of them go back and forth over ideas, and Bruce seemed to enjoy having another scientist to talk and work with.

"Oh, Adena," Bruce said with a kind smile, "Come to join us science nerds?"

I had to laugh. "Kind of, even though I'm no science nerd." I felt my stomach grumble. "Actually, I think I'm going to raid the cafeteria. Anyone want anything?"

Tony held up his hand. "If they've got something snackable and in a bag, I'll take it. Preferably chips or fruit snacks, given the choice."

Bruce shrugged. "Same for me."

Leaving them to it, I turned and went in search of munchies.

* * *

When I got back, it was to find Cap arguing with Tony. Rolling my eyes, I sighed and stepped into the room.

"Jarvis has been hacking into the system ever since I took my tour near Fury's computers," Tony was saying. "I want to know what he's got planned in regards to the Cube, particularly after we find it for him and help him retrieve it."

"That's not how it works," Cap snapped at him. "We have orders. We should follow them."

"Um, I'm not a good little soldier boy like you, so no, I won't follow them," Tony replied, keeping cool. "Besides, Fury is a spy –his secrets have secrets. What _I_ am concerned about _specifically_ is what they have in mind for the Cube. I doubt it's for renewable energy, like he claims."

Bruce awkwardly cleared his throat. "Stark's probably right. With his company researching clean energy, if Fury's people were trying to use the Cube for renewable power, why didn't they bring Stark in earlier to help with research and development?"

Cap looked like he was going to take a swing, which meant I had to step in, preferably before someone got hurt. "Cap?" I asked, getting his attention. "What's going on?"

He scowled in Tony's direction, and shook his head. "Nothing," he replied. "Just find the Cube," he ordered the others before leaving the room.

As he vanished down the hall, I looked over at Tony, who looked mildly annoyed. "Seriously, I can't believe that's the guy my dad always went on about," he complained, heading over to a computer.

"Your dad?" I asked, offering him a bag of fruit-and-yogurt clusters.

"Yeah, apparently Dad knew the good Captain way back in WWII," he replied, taking the snack bag while simultaneously going over whatever science stuff he was looking at. "Wouldn't stop going on about how great a hero the man was."

I took a seat on a convenient chair, out of the flow of foot traffic, and opened a bag of chips and a soda I'd brought. "So, your family and Cap go way back?" I asked, popping a chip into my mouth.

Tony shrugged. "Dad was one of the scientists who helped make Golden Boy there what he is. Apparently he got to know the guy and liked what he stood for, not to mention all of the great things he did for the nation."

Swallowing my mouthful of chip, I had to smirk a little. "You're not jealous, are you? Because with the way you bait him, it's almost like you've got a sibling rivalry thing going on with him."

"Oh, please," Tony replied, rolling his eyes. "The mere thought of possibly being related to the guy in the spangled outfit is too nauseating for words."

I shrugged. "I just tell it how I see it," I innocently replied, eating another chip. "Not _my_ fault you've got issues."

He looked like he was going to say something snarky to me, but decided against it. I smiled at him again. "Besides, Cap's a good guy. He's not all suave like you, but he's a good man. Just try to be decent to him, will you? It's not his fault he was a Popsicle for seven decades and isn't all caught up."

"Actually," Tony said, pointing at me, "it is, technically, his fault. Crashed the plane into the Arctic with his own hands."

"To save the world," I reminded him. "That's a good reason to crash a plane into the ice."

"Ah ha," Tony replied, waving a finger as though he were chastising me. "The point is, he did it under his own free will, and under his own power. Therefore, it _is_ his fault for being a Capsicle."

"Uh, excuse me?" Bruce said, waving a hand at us. "Hi, I'm here, too, you know."

Laughing, I waved back at him. "Hi," I said cheerfully. "I've got snacks, if you want any. You looked busy, and I didn't want to interrupt to give them to you, in case what you were doing was important."

Bruce smiled and came to snag a bag of chips and a bottled water from me. "Thanks," he said, taking a seat. "Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my work, I forget to eat."

I shrugged. "Well, that's what I'm here for, I guess: playing teacher and caretaker to the world's heroes."

"There are worse jobs," Tony commented. "Besides, it's kind of nice having a normal person around here. All of those agents hanging around kind of make me annoyed."

"I second that," Bruce put in, raising a hand while the other held his chip bag.

"Well, it's nice to know I'm being useful," I muttered, feeling more than a bit resentful of my current situation. "I honestly have no idea why Director Fury wanted Cap to lug me along on this crazy stunt, but here I am –utterly useless. I'm supposed to be teaching Cap about modern life, but he's busy with other things. It's starting to drive me a bit crazy, having nothing to do."

Both men looked a bit thoughtful. "You could hang out here with us," Tony suggested, popping a handful of food into his mouth.

It was a nice gesture, but I seriously doubted that I'd have much to talk to these geniuses about. "Thanks, but science and technology aren't really my strong points," I said with a smile. "And you guys look busy doing science-stuff."

Tony waved my words aside as he threw his empty snack bag into the trash. "We can talk music, sports, TV, whatever you want," he said, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Multi-tasking is a breeze for a guy like me. Science can be fun to talk about, but how about those Lakers?"

I had to laugh. "Sorry, not a sports fan, either," I told him. "Music, though, is another subject entirely."

* * *

For the next half hour or so, Tony and I tossed some regular conversation back and forth. At first, I could hardly believe that I was hanging out with _Tony Stark_, of all people. My brother worshiped the man, if not because of the Iron Man suit, then for the glamorous lifestyle he had. If my brother were here, he'd be asking Tony about how many cars he had, and whether or not he could 'test drive' them.

I, however, kind of liked the man behind the brains and the wealth –well, sort of. Tony could be a pain in the ass when he wanted to be, but he was still a nice guy who was funny and seemed to enjoy life. Sure, he drank a bit much sometimes, but he ran his business fairly well and seemed to care about his employees. He also traveled the world for fun, business, and charity, and was trying to do right with his company by focusing on making things other than weaponry.

It was fun, talking to him about all of this. I asked about his world travels, and he told me all about racing in Monte Carlo, sunbathing in France, and having pizza in Italy. He also said that, if I ever got the sense knocked into me and decided to quit working for the government, he would hire me to work at Stark Industries.

"I'm sure I could find a place for you somewhere," he offered as he made another visit to the computer screens. "In fact, I think my assistant could use an assistant of her own."

I perked up at that. "You mean Pepper Potts?" I asked, interested in spite of myself. "I've read about her and seen her on TV. She seems nice."

"Yup, she is," Tony said with a nod. "If you ever need work, I'm sure Pepper would be happy to have you."

Great as that sounded, I gently let go of that little daydream. "That won't be for a while," I cautiously told him. "I really do want to help Cap fit into the world."

"Yeah, that I don't get," he said, looking over at me. "Why help the poor guy when there are tons of people who can do it better?"

"I'm helping him because Director Fury asked me to," I replied with a shrug. "And because Cap needs someone more sympathetic and in touch with the real world."

Since Tony looked invested in what he was looking at, I let conversation go at that point, and sat back to actually look around and see what it was he and Bruce were working on. Looking over at a far table, my gaze landed on a very strange object lying on top of it. "What's that?"

Tony followed my line of sight. "Ah," he said, motioning me closer. "That would be Loki's troublesome little scepter. He had it on him when he popped over to Earth, and according to Fury, he used it to take over the minds of a few key agents."

I shivered. "Really? That's kind of creepy." Seriously, mind control was _not_ cool.

Meanwhile, Bruce, who until now had been so focused on his work that he didn't really acknowledge we were there, looked up. "Creepy, yes, but also interesting. I'd love to know how it works, but so far, we aren't getting anywhere."

Since I didn't want the conversation to go any deeper into the secret government work they were doing (and to stay clear of any science lingo they might use), I changed the subject.

"So, Tony, who's Jarvis?" I asked. "I heard you talk about him earlier."

"Jarvis is not a 'who,' Adena," he said, reaching into his back pocket. "Jarvis is a 'what.'"

For a second, I thought he was handing me a phone, but it was actually more like a palm computer. After the object was in my hand, it popped open, and a British-accented voice greeted me with, "Good afternoon, Miss Adena." It sounded so human that I freaked out and almost dropped it.

"This is Jarvis," Tony explained. "He's an advanced computer system I designed. He runs my houses, almost like a butler or housekeeper. Better, actually, because I don't have to pay him, and he doesn't talk about needing a raise or days off."

Fascinated, I looked at the device even closer. "So, he's with you all the time?" I asked.

Tony shrugged. "Pretty much. He's loaded inside my armor, where he can keep track of my vital signs, power levels, that sort of thing." He paused. "And because he's better than talking with open air. Well, most of the time, anyway. Very handy, if I do say so myself."

"Thank you, sir," the computer replied.

"Back to work, Jarvis," Tony ordered, his hand moving to take the device from me. Suddenly, he stopped. "Actually, why don't you play around with him for a bit?"

I stared at him. "Seriously?"

Tony nodded. "Sure. He can do multiple things at the same time. While he focuses on hacking into Fury's computer, he can also keep you busy for hours, if you know what you want him to do or if you want him to answer questions. Go ahead."

I looked at the miniature computer in my hands, holding it as though it were the most precious thing in the world –which it might well be. In my book, anyone who could create their own personal computer system/artificial intelligence was an absolutely cool genius!

"Just talk to him, and he'll talk back," Tony instructed as he toyed with whatever he was looking at on the screen in front of him. "Jarvis, play nice with Adena, okay? She's got my permission to get answers to her questions." He thought about that for a second. "Well, most answers. No personal or company info, Jarvis; remember that!"

"As you wish, sir," the British voice replied.

"Now that's classy," I said, looking at the device. "British accents are cool."

"Thank you, Miss Adena," the computer said. "How I may help you?"

* * *

Now, I thought the talking Apple phones were cool; Jarvis was about a billion times cooler.

Besides the slick human-sounding voice, Jarvis could tell me a bunch of facts about Tony Stark that I never knew –but not anything Tony didn't _want_ me to know. Once I figured that out, I decided to be nice and only ask about his car collection, the numerous houses he had, and a few other things that my brother would want me to ask.

When I got tired of talking about Tony, I began asking all sorts of other stuff about his company, like what they were up to now in regards to reliable, renewable energy. I also asked what kinds of cool gadgets the Iron Man suit had, but got only a short list; it probably wouldn't be a good thing if others knew all the weapons that Iron Man had in his arsenal.

After a while, though, I did get a little bored talking to a machine, and from the way my legs were going numb, I needed to stretch my legs, very badly.

Forcing myself up from my chair, I stretched, popping a few muscles as I moved. Neither scientist really paid much attention to me until I tapped Tony on the arm to offer him back his pocket-sized Jarvis.

"Why don't you keep him for a little bit?" he offered, smiling as I stared at him. "I have him on a couple of these computers, so it's no problem. Go ahead and hold on to that for a while. Jarvis will tell you if I need him back."

Holding tighter to the item in question, I smiled. "You know, I might get used to having one of these for myself. Too bad I'm computer-challenged, or else I'd make one for me!"

The way Tony's eyes lit up told me that he'd just had a brain storm. "Tell you what," he said, coming to lean against a table beside me. "Once this whole thing with Fury is over, I'll make you your own little Jarvis computer. Forget getting an Apple phone; I'll make you a phone all your own, fully-loaded with Jarvis on it. How about that?"

I was so excited, I almost squealed. "Really? You'd do that?" He nodded. "You do know that I'm going to hold you to that, right?"

"Yeah, I know," he said. "Now, go away. Bruce and I have more science stuff to do."

Tucking Jarvis into my pocket, I headed out into the hallway, no set destination in mind. Who knew that Tony Stark could be such a nice guy?

* * *

AN: I know, shorter chapter this time around, but the next one will be longer, I promise. Review?


	8. Things Go South

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: It's a miracle: I'm updating early this week! Also, I've managed to find a webpage with quotes from the movie, which makes it easier to remember how the film went. The rest of this story will be a mixture of the film and my own imagination, and I'm hoping that sticklers for following the movie won't mind my tweaking things to fit. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 8: Things Go South:**

Out in the hallway, I ran, oddly enough, straight into Phil Coulson, who had to stop me from falling on my butt after crashing into him.

"Whoa," he said, smiling. "Where's the fire?"

I smiled back. "Nowhere, as far as I know," I replied jokingly. "Just stretching my legs, that's all."

His smile turned into a grin. "Got tired of hiding out with the scientists, huh? Or did Tony Stark's ego get to be too much for you?"

"None of the above," I assured him, in case he got the idea of sending me back to my rooms and locking me in there. "Seriously, I just needed to rest my poor brain and walk a bit."

Phil gave me a rather close look, as though he expected me to get into trouble, or into somewhere I shouldn't. "Heading anywhere in particular?" he asked carefully.

"Not really," I replied, shrugging. "Just wherever I'm allowed to walk."

He relaxed a little and motioned for me to follow him. Somewhat wary, I let him lead me out to the bridge of the ship. I was shown up to a meeting alcove overlooking the entire floor, and offered a chair. Since I'd been sitting for so long, fiddling with Jarvis, I shook my head at Phil's offer and went to lean on the railing, watching all of the agents move about their business. It was like watching a bee hive: everyone had their own tasks to perform, and each of them did it well.

'_Well, except for that guy playing video games in the corner_,' I thought, biting back a laugh. '_I guess even secret agents need to unwind once in a while_.'

"So, how do you feel about being part of all this?" Phil asked, leaning against the railing.

Glancing to my right, I smiled at him. "You know, it's almost like being in a dream or a nightmare."

He gave me a look full of curiosity. "How so?"

"Well, there's the fact that I'm hanging out on a top-secret, invisible flying ship above the planet," I sarcastically replied. "That's pretty cool, as is the fact that a bunch of superheroes are hanging out here as well. I never thought I'd get to spend time with Tony Stark, of all people, not to mention Captain America."

Phil smiled. "I understand about the Captain America part," he admitted.

I threw a grin at him. "Did you ask him to sign your trading cards yet?" He nodded his head. "Oh, good! I was getting ready to ask him for you, in case you never got the chance."

"No, no, it's fine," Phil hurriedly assured me. "So, what's the nightmare part of this whole adventure?"

I shifted against the railing I was leaning against. "I'm scared to death," I quietly admitted. "I mean, there's a powerful, psychotic being encased in a glass fish tank downstairs, and he wants to take over the world and turn us all into his slaves! I'm scared of what might happen to my friends and family if he escapes, and what he'll do to _us_ for standing in his way."

Phil reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "We're going to do everything we can to keep that from happening," he said, trying to comfort me. "Director Fury has some of the best agents in the world working for him, and none of us will let Earth go down without a fight."

That still didn't make me feel better. After watching what Loki had done in Germany, I could only imagine what he'd be able to do with that magic Cube of his. It probably wouldn't take long for him to take over, if he had such power at his fingertips –the armies of the world wouldn't be able to stand against him for more than a few weeks, at most.

Glancing over at Phil, I noticed that he looked rather troubled for a guy who was trying to make _me_ feel better. Clearly he had something on his mind, and I had thoughtlessly not noticed it. Mentally slapping myself for being rude and unobservant, I gently nudged him with my elbow.

"I think that _you_ have something on _your_ own mind," I gently teased, though my words seemed to surprise him. "Come on, it's written all over your face; cough it up."

Phil scowled a little as he looked at the floor. "I don't think I can," he quietly admitted. "You know; top-secret business and all that."

His eyes, though, were flicking towards where the Director was standing, and I quickly caught the hint. Nodding my understanding, I slowly walked away from the bridge and towards the rear of the meeting alcove, where the sounds from the bridge couldn't reach us, and our voices wouldn't carry too much if we talked quietly.

Phil followed close behind, and once we were safely away from the noise, he told me what was up. "The Director went down to confront Loki about the things that he's done, and to see if he could manage to obtain the location of the Tesseract."

I sighed. "I'm guessing that he wasn't very forthcoming."

"No, he wasn't," Phil confirmed, avoiding eye contact.

When he went quiet, I knew something was up. "And?" I drawled, motioning with my hand for him to continue.

He shifted a little from one foot to another. "And then, Loki started asking questions –about _you_."

My brain had a hard time absorbing that. "Wait; Loki wanted to know about _me_? Why? I'm nobody important, not like Cap or Tony –I don't have special powers or a suit of technological armor."

Phil put a hand on my shoulder. "That might be why he's interested in you. From the video I watched, Loki managed to get under the Director's skin by asking why you, a normal human who wasn't an agent, had come aboard. Our prisoner then began asking how guilty the Director would feel if something were to happen to a person so unprepared to defend herself from danger."

Oh, yeah, I'll bet that got under Director Fury's skin. If something happened to me, I think not only he would feel bad, but Cap would, too –and given how he had such a protective nature, I wouldn't put it past Cap to punch a hole in Loki's face if the creep hurt me in any way.

And he really was a creep, as in he gave me the creeps. I'd felt his gaze on me, looking at me as though I were an insect he could dissect with just his thoughts. His eyes had been a cold, calculating blue, with more than a touch of madness in them –with just that one glance, I instantly knew that he'd seen things that would easily drive any human over the edge. But Loki had survived his experiences with his mind intact, at least for the most part, and now he wanted power.

"Crazy and powerful are a very bad combination," I muttered out loud, startling Phil. "Crazy, powerful and wanting to take over the world is as bad, or worse."

He smiled wanly. "Very true. Still, we're going to do our best to stop that from happening."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Did Loki ask or say anything else to Director Fury?"

Phil shrugged. "He said a lot of things, all in an attempt to get under everyone's skin –and when I say 'everyone,' I mean those who'd been listening in on the meeting."

Oh, that didn't sound good, either. "Makes me glad that I wasn't listening in on _that_ nasty piece of business," I muttered with a slight shiver. "I can only imagine how the others felt, having Loki pick them apart like that."

"It wasn't pretty," Phil agreed. "They all looked either angry or shaken; a few looked to be both."

"What did Thor have to say about all this?" I asked, suddenly remembering that, in Norse legend, Thor and Loki were brothers.

He shook his head. "Thor tried to explain that they were family, but even he was horrified by what his foster brother had done."

"Whoa," I said, holding up a hand. "Foster brother? You mean Loki isn't related to Thor at all?"

"Apparently Loki isn't even from Asgard," Phil whispered as two agents walked by. "He's from a violent race known as Frost Giants. When Loki was a baby, Thor's father, Odin, found him and took him back to Asgard, where he was raised as one of them."

I winced. "No wonder the guy is so messed up. I mean, finding out you're adopted is hard enough on a person. But finding out that you're a completely different race, one that's violent and prone to killing? That's even worse!"

To be honest, I was now wondering if I should feel bad for him or not. Yes, he was a killer, but there was an obvious_ reason_ behind Loki losing himself to darkness. Then again, he hadn't shown any remorse for killing innocent people, and that showed that he'd lost touch with any sort of goodness inside of him.

"Try not to feel for him," Phil warned. "I can see it on your face. He doesn't deserve pity, not after what he's done."

I sighed and rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the ache starting to form there. "I know. I guess I'm a softy at heart."

A gentle but firm hand squeezed my shoulder, causing me to drop my hand and look up into Phil's sympathetic eyes. "Just try not to let your feelings get in the way –Loki will sense that and try to take advantage of you by messing with your emotions. We can't afford to lose focus on what's really important here, and that's getting the Cube. Once we've got that, things will improve."

I wasn't so sure about that, but chose not to say so. Instead, I smiled and nodded. "You're right. We need to focus on what needs to be done. I just hope that Tony and Bruce manage to find it ASAP."

An eyebrow rose on Phil's face. "Tony and Bruce? Are you now on a first-name basis with two of the greatest scientists on Earth?"

I couldn't help it; I blushed. "Well, sort of," I admitted. "Tony even lent me his personal artificial intelligence computer thing." I pulled Jarvis out of my pocket. "See?"

To my surprise, Phil didn't even look impressed. "I'm familiar with Mr. Stark's computer system," he said in a rather amused tone. "I had to scramble its security codes a few times in order to get access to Mr. Stark's apartment in New York and his house in California."

My jaw dropped. "You broke into Tony Stark's house?" I asked in disbelief.

He shrugged. "Not exactly. I had to speak with him, and since it was important and under Director Fury's orders, I just tweaked Jarvis's programming a little so that I could get in."

Any respect I had for Phil jumped up a couple dozen notches. "You are seriously one cool agent," I said, grinning as he blushed a little.

"Well, it's nice hearing someone say that I'm cool," he joked with a smile. "In the meantime, you should get that little pocket computer back to Mr. Stark; he might need it for whatever he's working on right now."

Good point. After thanking Phil for the lovely chat, I headed back to the science geek lab.

* * *

I expected the two brainiacs to still be at their project. Instead, I walked into a war zone.

To my absolute shock, I heard Cap challenging Tony by ordering him to "put on the suit," as though he wanted to beat some sense into him. I'd never heard Cap talk like that, even at his angriest, and it seriously scared me.

Worse, Natasha, Thor, Bruce, and Director Fury were all in arguments of their own, each of them throwing insults, excuses, and other things at one another. Even though they were all adults, they sounded very much like squabbling kids.

"Put on the suit. Let's have it out," I heard Cap spit at Tony.

My blood boiling, I decided that enough was enough. They were supposed to be working together to save the world, and instead they were acting like idiots.

Stepping forward, I inserted myself between Tony and Cap, and gave my 'student' a firm push in the chest. "Step back, Captain," I warned him, catching him slightly off-guard.

"Adena," he said in a warning tone, blue eyes firm as he tried to get around me.

"_I said step back, soldier_!" I barked in a loud voice that caught everyone by surprise, effectively silencing all of them. What I didn't expect to see was Cap straightening up to attention, as though he were in front of a superior officer. If the situation hadn't been so tense, it'd have been funny.

"Nicely done," Tony commented with approval.

"Shut up, Tony," I spat over my shoulder, not taking my eyes off Cap. "You're not helping."

Staring up at the man in front of me, I leveled my best death glare at him. "You're a soldier and a man of honor, Captain Rogers. And yet, here you are, disgracing yourself and everything you hold dear by acting like those you are trying to fight against!"

His blue eyes flashed with anger for a moment, before quickly melting into shame. But I wasn't finished. "I don't understand why you've got this animosity towards Tony Stark. Yes, he's an ass, but he's still a good man," I proceeded to lecture him. "He's willing to help take on Loki, just like you, and even though he uses a suit of armor that's built and stocked like an armory, he's still a man inside there, taking every blow the enemy throws at him."

I looked towards Tony. "And stop trying to show the Captain up," I ordered, pointing a finger in his face, effectively causing him to raise his hands in surprise and surrender. "Your father admired him for certain reasons. You might want to figure out what those reason are, and try to learn a little something from his example, which is something your dad might have wanted."

Turning towards the others, I crossed my arms and glared. "As for the rest of you..."

Thor opened his mouth to say something, but I motioned with one hand for him to be quiet.

"Arguing is going to get you nowhere," I told them. "You've got a creature bent on world domination locked up in a prison cell downstairs. For some reason, I don't think he's going to stay in there very long, not when that Cube thing you're looking for is still out there!"

I pointed a finger at Bruce, who blinked at me. "_You_ should be looking for the big, dangerous weapon thing. And if you've found it, then _you_," I said, pointing at Director Fury, "and an entire team of agents should be out there getting it!"

I shouldn't have been pointing directly at the head of a secret government organization, but I was too angry to be scared of right then.

Glaring at the Director, Natasha and Thor, I shook my head in disappointment. "You are all professionals, great fighters and legendary warriors! You should all be focused on saving the world from destruction, not standing around squabbling like a bunch of immature youngsters!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Loki's scepter was giving off an odd glow. "And did any of you notice that that thing is _glowing_ in a very creepy way?"

As everyone turned to look at it, the entire ship shifted as something exploded beneath our feet. Before I knew it, Cap had grabbed me around the waist and pulled me towards him, throwing us to the ground while putting his body between me and the erupting floor, even as flames, metal, glass, and other debris flew up into the air.

* * *

As he threw himself and Adena to the floor, Steve tried to push aside any feelings of shame he might have over this whole mess.

He didn't know what had come over him. His animosity towards Tony Stark was likely something Steve carried over from his former dislike of the elder Mr. Stark –even though Steve had managed to become tentative friends with Howard, he couldn't really forget the anger and frustration of watching him flirt with Peggy.

But like his father, Tony Stark was all flash, glamour, showmanship, and arrogance –only ten times worse. Steve had seen how Tony liked showing off his inventions to others, just like his father had at the Science Expo Steve had attended all those years ago.

Worse, Adena apparently liked the younger Stark. She had been thrilled that he was a potential member of Director Fury's group of fighters, The Avengers, and it had hurt seeing her have that sort of hero-worship for a vain, selfish man who did nothing without wanting all the glory.

But what had hurt Steve the most was having Adena scold him on his behavior –and that she'd been right to do it.

Deep inside, Steve knew that he had shamed not only himself, but also Doctor Erskine, who had chosen him, Steve Rogers, to be a hero in dark times. Steve had promised the late doctor to always remain a good man after his procedure, and here he was, acting the complete opposite. How could he have sunk so low?

Something deep in his mind said that it was Loki doing all of this, but he knew that if this was so, the evil Asgardian was only bringing to the surface feelings that Steve had hoped to never outwardly show. Steve was a good person; he knew this was so, but like any man, he still harbored dark feelings and thoughts. All of these negative things had been brought out and shown to not only the world, but also to the young woman who admired and believed so much in him.

Holding her close, he covered Adena with his larger frame, keeping any sharp debris from harming her. As he shoved her into the sheltered hallway, away from the broken glass and twisted metal shards, Steve mentally promised himself that he would apologize to her the second this whole crazy situation was over.

* * *

AN: More action and adventure to follow next chapter! Please be kind and review?


	9. Things Go South Part II

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Yes, this is another chapter update for this week! Your eyes do not deceive you! I hope that everyone enjoys themselves, and please don't forget to review. Thanks!

**Chapter 9: Things Go South, Part II:**

I'd never been in an explosion before, but it was definitely something I would _not_ want to experience more than once in a lifetime.

Cap had very sweetly sheltered me from the brunt of it, even going so far as to push me into the hallway once the shrapnel had finished flying. Even though it was rather nice being held and protected by my idol, I wouldn't want to be in an explosion for that kind of situation to happen again.

Lying in the hallway, I began coughing to clear my lungs of dust, my ears struggling to hear what was going on around me. Blinking rapidly in the cloudy air, I could barely make out the shapes of people running all around me, going in different directions.

As I struggled to get myself together so that I could stand, a strong, muscular arm wrapped itself around my waist and pulled me up. While I struggled to get my balance, the arm held me steady, not letting go until I was securely on my feet.

"I'm okay," I croaked, looking up into Cap's eyes. He didn't look convinced. "Seriously, all I've got is a ringing in my ears. Now go," I firmly told him. "They need you!"

Cap didn't move until I pushed him firmly in the chest. "Seriously, I'm fine. Go get this situation back under control!"

He turned his attention towards Tony. "Put on the suit."

Tony was already scrambling to his feet and heading down the opposite hallway. "Yup."

"Be careful," I croaked around the dust in my throat.

Cap nodded before heading off after Tony, leaving me alone to pull myself together.

* * *

I knew that the ringing in my ears wasn't going to vanish that quickly, but I managed to gain my bearings enough to assess what had happened, and what was currently going on.

The air was still cloudy with dust, but it was settling. Thor and Director Fury lay on the floor to my left, brushing themselves off as they struggled to their feet. To my right was a huge hole in the floor –and if my memory served me right, Natasha and Bruce had been standing there when the explosion occurred.

"Natasha!" I cried, struggling to get to the hole without causing the floor to cave in under me.

"Adena, don't move!" Fury ordered, stopping me in my tracks. Reaching into his coat, he retrieved a walkie-talkie, which seemed rather low-tech for a government agency. "Agent Romanoff, are you okay?" There was silence from the other end, which prompted Fury to try again. "Natasha! Are you alright?"

This time, there was a crackle, and a reply. "I'm alright," she said, though her voice was strained. "But I think we're going to have a problem soon."

How much more of a problem could we possibly have? The air ship was under attack, and we'd almost been blown to bits! What else was there to worry about?

Then it hit me. Bruce had been pretty agitated before the explosion, and the stress of almost being turned to cat food might just be enough to trigger his larger, greener self. Worse, Natasha was down there, and she didn't stand a chance against something that powerful. Someone had to go down there to help her, but who? Cap and Tony were off doing who-knows-what, and no one else on this ship stood a chance against The Hulk…except one.

"Thor!" I blurted out, getting his attention. He looked a bit dazed, but also angry, which might be helpful. "You've got to help Natasha! I think Bruce might shift, and she doesn't stand a chance in hell if he does!"

Realization dawned in his blue eyes. "Where is she?" he asked, looking over at Director Fury.

"Maybe one or two levels down." Fury's one good eye focused intensely on Thor. "You might not be able to beat him, but you could still at least get his attention and hold it until we can tranquilize him."

Thor nodded. "I will hold him as long as I can." He looked at the both of us. "Be safe." Then he was gone, managing to stumble his way out the door towards his destination.

Meanwhile, Fury looked over at me. "Go back to your quarters," he ordered. "I don't know what hit us, but things just got a lot more dangerous. Lock your door, and if you need help, there's a red button on the back of your bedside lamps. Agents will come as soon as they're able."

I nodded and as he lifted his walkie-talkie to his mouth, I headed out to the hallway, where I paused to listen in on what he was saying. I know I should have done as ordered, but if things were going bad, then they would need all the help they could get.

"Agent Hill, what's going on?" Fury asked, his voice cold and angry.

Sadly, I couldn't hear much of the reply, but I did manage to make out the words 'under attack,' and the horrifying fact that one of the giant propellers had been taken out. That's when I felt the floor beneath me sink a little. I immediately realized that, given how heavy this ship was, if we lost another engine, we'd be going down, fast.

Fighting down my panic of how I did _not_ want to die like this, I furiously tried to think of a way out of this situation. Everyone else on this airborne vessel was probably doing something useful at this point –so why shouldn't I?

* * *

It took a little bit of thinking on my part to decide what I should be doing, and where I should go. After all, I didn't know the vessel that well, and since the entire place was in chaos, asking for directions wasn't an option. Neither was offering to help anyone who passed by, since I probably didn't have the skills most of them were looking for.

A slight discomfort in my back pocket reminded me that I had something no one else did: Jarvis.

Whipping out the small computer, I tentatively asked, "Jarvis? Can you hear me?"

The screen automatically lit up. "Yes, Miss," it replied. "How can I be of service?"

Good question: how _could _Jarvis help me? My brain managed to pull up the memory of Tony saying something about Jarvis hacking into the ship's computer system. If Jarvis was in the computer, could he find a map or readout of the place?

"Jarvis, can you tell me where everyone is? Captain America, Tony Stark, etc.?" I asked.

"Yes, Miss," came the prompt reply. "The Captain and Mr. Stark are currently outside, attempting to repair and restart the damaged engine. Thor and The Hulk are battling several levels below, in the docking areas, with Agent Romanoff nearby."

To my surprise, Jarvis provided a blueprint of the ship, with little colored dots to indicate where everyone was. The blue dot I guessed was Cap, and red was Tony, as they were the only ones outside the ship. Green was obviously the Hulk, and the gold dot clashing with it had to be Thor. A stationary silver dot was probably Natasha, though why she wasn't doing anything had me worried.

"Is Agent Romanoff hurt?" I asked, a knot growing in my stomach.

"Unknown, Miss," Jarvis replied. "She is alive, and her life signs are strong and steady. It could be that she is wounded or in shock, but I am unable to read more than her vital signs."

I quickly absorbed all of my info, and tried to figure out what to do with it. "What about Director Fury? Where is he?"

That took Jarvis a minute. "He is currently on his way to the bridge to assess the situation."

Great; nearly everyone I knew was doing something to save the ship, which left me pretty much alone and useless. Wait; there was still one person I hadn't checked up on…

"Where is Agent Coulson?" I asked, wondering what poor Phil was up to.

All of the dots on the blueprint vanished, and another dot, this one neon blue, blinked on the map. "Is he alone?" I wondered aloud, while silently praying that he had backup.

"Yes," Jarvis declared, which made my heart sink. I couldn't let the poor guy do what he had in mind without someone to watch his back!

"Where is he, exactly?" I asked, watching the dot as it moved quickly. "Or where is he going to?"

Jarvis's reply was lost as another explosion rocked the ship. It wasn't as monumental as the one that disabled one of the engines, but it clearly indicated that there was trouble still going on. I began wondering if the ship had been invaded by enemy forces, and the panic that I had so far managed to ignore came back.

"I'm sorry, Jarvis, but could you say that again?" I said, my voice going high with anxiety.

The answer I got was exactly what I was looking for.

* * *

Phil was on his way to the armory –thank goodness for that!

Too bad I didn't know where the armory was.

Even worse, I probably wasn't allowed to go inside there –but then, that's what Phil was for.

Thanks to Jarvis, I was able to navigate my way through the ship and run into Phil just as he set foot in the armory. He looked surprised to see me, and not at all happy.

"Adena, what are you doing here?" he demanded while trying to block my way.

"I figured you'd need help," I replied, checking to see if he really was alone –he was. "Everyone else is busy, and you shouldn't be going off to do something stupid without someone to watch your back."

He looked torn between relieved and annoyed. "You aren't trained in weaponry, Adena! I can't have you risk your life like this. The Captain would never forgive me if something happened to you."

Phil sort of had me there, but right now, Cap was busy doing other things. "Well, you've clearly got a plan in mind, and no one to go with you," I said, crossing my arms. "And I don't think the Director would want you doing anything without help."

For a second, I thought Phil would use a martial arts move to knock me out and get me out of his hair. A long minute passed before he finally sighed, rolling his eyes. "All right," he gave in. "I'm going to regret this, but have you ever fired a weapon before?"

I had to be honest with him. "My dad used to take us shooting when I was little," I admitted. "Just cardboard targets in the desert and all, but I haven't done that since I was twelve or thirteen." I swallowed hard. "And to be honest, guns make me nervous."

That last bit of info should have had Phil looking like he was getting a migraine, but it didn't. Instead, he seemed to be thinking it over, and after a moment, he motioned for me to follow him quietly. I did so, though I didn't see the point in tip-toeing when there was a war raging inside the ship –everyone was bound to be focused on other things than strange noises inside the armory.

Phil ended up leading me to a back wall with all sorts of dangerous-looking weapons hanging behind locked cage doors. Below them were drawers, and from one of these he pulled out what looked like some sort of pistol with an odd end to it. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, but Phil assured me that it was a real weapon…sort of.

"This is our version of a stun gun," he said, pointing to the side of the weapon, which had three lights on it. "There are three levels on it, but we'll keep it at medium power, because you want to knock someone out with only a minor shock to the system. Low power shocks and incapacitates people long enough to cuff them, but it keeps them conscious. Medium stuns someone into unconsciousness, and the shock to the system keeps them there for a few hours. High power will knock a person out for a day or so, and leave the target with a major migraine."

I watched him point to the trigger. "It works just like a gun –meaning you can keep firing round after round, without having to wait for it to charge. Just make sure to not hit someone more than twice at high power, or four times with medium, unless you want to kill them."

Since killing was the last thing on my mind, I had no intention of going to the extreme. '_Unless it's a desperate situation_,' I reasoned, taking the offered weapon. Still, stunning someone was better than shooting them, and as Phil had said, I'd have to hit a target at least two or three times to kill them.

"So, where are we going?" I nervously asked as Phil pulled the biggest, most dangerous-looking weapon I'd ever seen from a large shipping container.

He looked his weapon over and held it so confidently I was instantly jealous. "We have to go make sure that Loki's cell is secure."

What little confidence I had took a major nosedive. "_Why_?" I blurted out, suddenly terrified at having to face Thor's crazy adopted brother.

Phil gave me a sympathetic smile. "We have to make sure that he stays locked up. I've no doubt that this attack is meant to break him out, and we can't let that happen. The Tesseract is still out there –if Loki were to escape, he'd find it, harness its power, and use it to take over the world. We cannot allow that to happen."

No, we couldn't; but that didn't stop me from being scared out of my wits. The mentally unstable Asgardian had scared the crap out of me during those few seconds I'd seen him, and the last thing I wanted was to be in the same room with him again.

'_If he could somehow turn the Avengers against each other, I can only imagine what else he can do, even while locked up_.' The thought made me shiver.

But I couldn't let Phil go off alone –he was my friend, and he'd been so nice to me during my stay here, even when he didn't have to be. I owed it to him to be there when he went to check on Loki.

And so, swallowing my fear and nervousness, I nodded. "Okay, let's go."

* * *

As chaos flowed throughout the ship, Loki stood in his glass prison and smiled, savoring his victory. It might seem premature to celebrate, but his enslaved agents had arrived to free him –they would do so, or die trying, thanks to the power he had over them.

'_Once I am free, nothing will stop me_,' he smirked to himself as explosions, weapons fire and pain-filled cries sounded nearby. '_Not even Thor and this mismatched group of so-called heroes will be enough to stop the Chitauri invasion_.'

Wait, someone was coming. Using a touch of his mental abilities, Loki sensed that it was one of his slaves coming to release him. But there was another presence that tickled the edge of his thoughts –one that was not the subservient creatures that did his bidding. No, this was something else, something that he'd encountered before and had wanted the instant he'd set eyes on it.

'_It's her_,' he realized, smiling broadly.

She was coming to him, and of her own free will. That made him very curious, as he had not yet had time or the opportunity to touch her with his powers. Why was she coming to him? Perhaps that pathetic Fury had sent her and a team of his fighters to keep an eye on him?

It didn't matter. In a few moments, he would be free…then things would start getting even more interesting!

* * *

AN: Shorter chapter this time, but the next one will be longer. Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	10. Looking Evil in the Eye

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Here it is; the chapter/scene that many people are dreading (thanks to the stupid script writers of the movie): the Phil vs. Loki scene. Just so I don't give anything away, I ask that people read this chapter and not skip it. Thanks, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 10: Looking Evil in the Eye:**

I was scared stupid. Actually, I was stupid, period, for wanting to do this in the first place –being scared was just an added bonus.

Seriously, what did I know about fighting evil aliens? Or fighting in general? The answer to both these questions was: absolutely nothing. Worse, I was probably putting Phil in danger just by being with him, because I was an easy target.

'_Me and my bright ideas_,' I silently moaned inside my head.

But he needed help. I mean, seriously, who went to check on a dangerous prisoner without any backup? And with the other agents onboard occupied with The Hulk running loose (and fighting Thor), not to mention the probable fact that enemies had breached the ship, I was all Phil had.

Keeping close to Phil's side, I felt the stun gun in my hand grow heavier and heavier as my dread got the better of me. The fear, panic and anxiety inside me was almost nauseating, but I knew that I had to suck it up and do what needed to be done –after all, Cap wouldn't back down from a fight, and with the fate of the world literally at stake, I couldn't afford to be a coward.

But the closer we got to the prison level, the more frightened and nervous I got. The sound of running footsteps above and around us gave me the impression that serious stuff was going on all over the ship, and that just made me want to run back to my room to hide. But even with the chaos going on, Phil looked as cool and calm as can be, so I tried to mimic him in keeping myself together. The fact that Phil had a huge weapon in his hands probably helped boost his confidence, though.

We took one of the side corridors near where Loki was being held, but before we went even close to the entry door to that room, Phil stopped. "I'm going to head in first," he whispered. "I want you to stay behind a little ways, so that no one sees you. That way, if I need help, you'll be able to take people by surprise. Got it?"

Swallowing hard, I silently nodded. Phil gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder, hefted up the huge weapon he was holding, and went inside. I don't know what he encountered, but I heard him say, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

As soon as Phil left me standing there, tucked just inside an open door and out of sight from those in the room, I felt my curiosity get the better of me. Oh, I was definitely still afraid, but I also wanted to know what was going on so that I could help Phil as soon as I could. It was stupid, and risky, but I had to be sure that, when the time came, I didn't act too late.

Creeping closer to the door, I heard Phil talking to someone, who I guessed was Loki. Since I wasn't sure, I began looking around, and spotted a shiny panel on the wall that, from its odd angle, gave me a limited and somewhat distorted view of the room, so I was able to see a bit of what was happening. I didn't think that anyone could see me, but I could certainly see Phil facing off with Loki, who stood still as a weapon was pointed at him.

"You like this?" Phil asked. "It's something we put together after you sent the Destroyer to Earth." I had no idea what a Destroyer was, but I guessed it destroyed things. "Even I don't know what it does. But I'm eager to find out."

I gathered my courage and cautiously peeked into the room, though not around the corner, which would cause me to be seen. From my vantage point, I saw that Loki was not longer where he was supposed to be: inside the prison cell. Instead, it was poor Thor who was confined, and he did _not_ look happy about it.

Looking up and around the doorway, I found a few strategically placed mirrors, probably so the guards and jailors could keep a discreet eye on the prisoner. It was a good thing I found those, because a copy of Loki was creeping up right behind his back!

Without thinking, I stepped into the room, calling out, "Phil, behind you!" _That_ quickly got everyone's attention, and after that, it all went to hell.

Phil whirled around, his weapon ready to fire, just as one of the two Lokis made to stab him in the back. Since the second Loki had been trying so hard to not be seen, it had to be the real one. With that in mind, I raised my weapon and aimed it at him, even as he made to strike down Phil. Without hesitation, I fired, my weapon aimed squarely at Loki's chest.

Now, even though I was no expert marksman, I knew that my aim was sound. The problem was that Loki was standing directly behind Phil, and as I fired, he moved out of the way, lightning-fast, at just the right moment, causing the blast to hit poor Phil instead. Thank goodness it was only a stun gun, or else my poor friend would have been toast!

On the down side, the only other professional and armed person in the room was out of commission. Thor was locked up, and with Phil unconscious (or at least, on the floor and partially paralyzed), I was completely alone with Loki…and all I had was a lousy stun gun.

I was totally screwed.

* * *

Loki could hardly believe his luck! Thor was locked within a prison, easy to dispose of; the only other person to fully challenge him lay incapacitated on the cold ground; and the fascinating young woman he so badly wanted to examine was here, helpless and alone. It was as though the universe was working for him instead of against him!

Focusing his attention on her, Loki used a touch of his mind gifts on her. It wasn't all that difficult to cause her to drop her sad little weapon and immobilize her where she stood –he merely had to draw upon her fear and turn it against her.

Once the weapon had fallen from her hands, Loki allowed a smug grin to form. "Now, stay where you are," he mockingly told her. "I have business with my brother to attend to."

Facing Thor, Loki grinned even wider. "You know, the humans believe us to be immortal," he said, going to the control panel that stood close by. "Shall we test that theory?"

At Thor's roar of rage, Loki flipped the necessary switch, sending his rival hurtling towards earth.

Much to his surprise, he heard an anguished cry of "No!" come from someone it shouldn't. Turning, he was shocked to see his charming female captive race for the where the prison cell had been.

'_It's not possible_,' he thought. '_She should not be able to break my hold on her unless I allow it_!'

Almost against his will, Loki found himself becoming more interested in her. He'd had much time to think about her, this girl who so easily drew others and caused them to grow fond of her. The odd light that he saw inside her drew him like a moth to a flame: it had caught his attention, and now he wanted to possess it, to hold it in the palm of his hand and never release it from his grasp.

Inside his prison, he'd had much time to himself, giving him the opportunity to think very carefully about how things would change for this world once it was under his firm rule. In his determined resolve to keep this girl, this Adena Philips, as a form of amusement, Loki had decided that she could be of a much better use to him.

Once the primitive people of this world were on their knees before him, from the leaders down to the lowest wretch, Loki would not only need to affirm his hold on it, he would have to ensure that the people remained under heel.

To achieve everything in one swoop, he would take a Queen from amongst them.

All great kings needed to produce heirs, of only to ensure a strong ruling line, and that required a feminine presence in his plans. If his bride were human, and he were to seduce (or even force) her to his cause, it would give him a greater hold over the mortals: she would be able to tell him how humans thought and behaved, and even what he could expect, should the humans attempt to rebel against him. Some humans might even accept him as their king, thinking that if their Queen were human, there might be more sympathy towards them.

And he knew exactly who to choose to sit beside his throne.

It was perfect: Adena had knowledge of humanity, and her special gift of gaining the affections of anyone she wished to. With her at his side, Earth had no chance.

Watching her fear take over, Loki grinned. He relished the thought of her belonging to him for many millennia, of having her, and the light that flickered warmly with her, at his beck-and-call. With her intelligence and wit, she would amuse him for a _very_ long time. Perhaps, if she was obedient and proved herself loyal to him, he would grant her a few powers of her own –though none would be greater than his.

Eying her closely, he saw that she was ready to flee for safety. Well, he couldn't have that, now, could he?

* * *

Watching Thor slip through the floor of the ship knocked the stuff right out of me. I couldn't believe that Loki had done such a horrible thing to someone who obviously still cared about him. But given that he was trying to take over Earth, killing whoever was in his way, it shouldn't have surprised me.

It took a few seconds for my brain to scramble together a coherent thought, and when it did, I remembered that, with Thor gone and Phil down, I was alone and rather defenseless against the freed demigod.

Looking over at him, I immediately saw the satisfied look on his face, as well as a gleam of some insane idea that I probably would _not_ like. My instincts instantly kicked in, telling me to run for it, now, before it was too late.

I wasn't fast enough. In fact, I had barely taken a step backwards from the railing before Loki was on me, like a cat atop its prey. His large hand found its way around my throat, gripping me hard enough to bruise, but loose enough for me to breathe without too much difficulty.

"There, now," he whispered harshly, "I thought I told you not to move."

His words sent a surge of anger through me. What right did he have telling me what to do? And how dare he think that he could take over the world without mankind fighting back?

I dared to look up, channeling my anger and defiance through the glare I gave him. For a second, he seemed surprised, as though he'd expected me to become a subdued little sheep now that he literally had my life in his hands. If his strength was even half of Thor's, all Loki had to do was tighten his grip, and I was dead. That didn't stop my anger from overpowering my fear, though.

His surprise quickly melted to an intense interest that sent chills down my spine. "You fascinate me, Adena," he whispered, leaning close. "I do not know why, but I desire _very_ much to find out." I swallowed hard and tried not to think about how his face was scant inches from my own as he continued. "I do not know how you managed to break free of the hold my power had on you, but that, too, is something I am eager to discover."

The thumb of his gripping hand began to slide upwards a little, easing the pressure slightly, but also shifting his hold so that, if he chose to, he could choke me more effectively. "I know that you defy me," Loki murmured, lifting his scepter so that the blade hovered a fraction of an inch from my cheek. "Your eyes scream that you would fight me. With my scepter in my hands, I could make you happily submit and obey me."

The coldness in his blue eyes sent a blade of ice through my heart, but I didn't dare let my fear show –predators like him fed on fear.

"However, I do not think I will use it on you –at least, not yet," he whispered with a lop-sided smirk. "I rather like the fire you have, and to extinguish it so soon would be foolish."

I felt his grip tighten, the pressure cutting off the blood flow to my head and blocking the air to my lungs. "But there are other ways to subdue a person."

As the world began to darken, a loud blast followed by the sound of crunching metal and crumbling materials reached my ears. The pressure at my throat was gone, and my head grew light as the flow of blood resumed, my lungs hastily drawing breath as I fell back against the wall. Loki was no longer in front of me, and there was a huge hole in the wall to my left –I could guess where he'd gone.

"Huh, so that's what it does," Phil muttered, a small smirk on his face. "You okay, Adena?"

Since I was still catching my breath, I gave him a thumbs-up sign with one hand while the other rubbed my neck. There would probably be a bruise there later, but at least I'd be alive to have one.

As I struggled to my feet, the sound of heavy footsteps reached my ears. Turning, I saw Loki step back into the room, a furious look on his face. Hefting his scepter, I saw him make for Phil, the thirst to kill gleaming in his eyes.

Panicked, I hurriedly threw myself between the two, pushing Loki's arm aside as he leveled it in Phil's direction. I fully expected to be knocked aside, or even killed for getting in between a killer and his intended victim, but instead, I found myself once again the center of Loki's scrutiny.

"Do you honestly think I wouldn't hesitate to kill you?" he asked in wonder as he stepped closer to me. "Even now you are no match for me. Why put yourself in harm's way, when you have no powers of your own and know you stand no chance?"

I lifted my chin so that I could glare directly in the eye. "Because he is my friend," I croaked through my bruised throat. "Even if you kill me, I'll die knowing that I did what little I could to help him."

He seemed to think for a moment, though what he was thinking about was beyond me. Even as he stood there, I could hear the sound of footsteps in the hallway –help was coming, but whether it was for Loki or for Phil was the question.

Also hearing the footsteps, Loki appeared to make his mind up about something. "I'm afraid I can't risk being captured again, dear Adena. And as I have time to do one last thing before making my escape, I think I will do this instead."

I didn't even know what hit me.

* * *

It was a trifle to use the scepter and incapacitate both Adena and the annoying agent. Oh, he did not kill them, though when the agent woke, he would wish he was dead –there would be a lingering headache that would make the agent feel as though his skull were going to burst.

Adena would fare better. Though he had no healing skills, Loki would have one of his minions treat her while she slept –females could not tolerate pain very well, and it would be inconvenient for her to be suffering too much while he questioned and studied her.

Although he had longed to kill the agent and take Adena, Loki knew that he didn't have the time for both. His forces were limited here, and it was only a matter of time before real agents appeared and tried to take him prisoner again. He decided to take the easier route: kidnap the girl.

"Sir, we need to go," said a voice behind him. It was one of his soldiers, with a few of his comrades, to escort Loki to safety.

Moving quickly, Loki nodded at Adena. "Take her," he ordered. "Make sure you carry her securely, but gently. If any harm comes to her, you die."

His wish was obeyed immediately. A soldier scooped Adena up and carefully tossed her over his shoulder, one arm securing her in place as they hastily made for their escape ship. As expected, they met with little interference, and made it to the ship without too many inconvenient battles.

Once onboard the smaller aircraft, Loki reached out for his prisoner. "Give her to me, _gently_."

It seconds, she was in his lap, her head leaning against his shoulder. That's how he wanted her: helpless and quiet. Once she woke, she would fight him and cause all sorts of trouble, but by then, Earth would be his. Then, the real fun would begin for him.

* * *

AN: Sorry, another short chapter, but given how things are going to flow in this story, it's kind of how it goes. And just so everyone knows: I refuse to let Loki kill Coulson in my universe. Why? Because I like the guy, and even if he is actually dead in the movie universe, I plan on keeping Phil around for my stories, so there. Agent Phil Coulson remains alive and well in this story verse.

Also, word of warning: this story is almost over. But don't worry; there will be a sequel, so keep an eye out for that! Meanwhile, thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	11. Waging War

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Here's another chapter, this one with lots of Cap's POV. Enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 11: Waging War:**

The tally following Loki's escape wasn't good. From the talk going through the ship, there were many wounded, numerous dead, and one missing.

When he'd heard about there being hurt and dead, Steve had panicked. Panic was an unusual emotion for him –he typically kept a cool head when it came to fighting, and bad things were expected to happen to people when battles were fought.

This was different, though –this time there was Adena to consider; a civilian who was helpless in a fight, and who made an easy target for the mind-controlled agents under Loki's command. Even though Director Fury had ordered her to accompany him to this flying craft, Steve felt that she was under his protection, and that he was solely responsible for her safety while aboard. If she was one of the wounded, he'd blame himself. But if she were dead…

Once the ruined engine had been repaired to the best of Stark's abilities, Steve had raced to the bridge, offering aid where he could (which was very little, as he had no medical training whatsoever). Still, he did manage to get debris off of those who were trapped, and helped them onto stretchers or to lie still until medics could arrive.

After reaching the bridge, Steve took one look at the Director's face and felt his stomach drop. "What happened?" he whispered, his spirits sinking.

It wasn't good.

Trapped inside Loki's glass prison, Thor had been launched from the ship, a fall of easily twenty thousand feet or more. Such a fall could easily kill a human man, and it was unlikely that even an Asgardian could survive the drop. Steve hoped for the best, but suspected the worst.

Doctor Banner, as The Hulk, had also hurdled to Earth, but in his alternate form, Steve was more optimistic about his survival. So far, nothing had managed to destroy The Hulk, and he doubted that a mere fall would do it. Stark felt the same way, and said so.

But the worst blow came when Steve asked where Adena was.

"She's been taken by Loki," Director Fury bluntly told them. "She went with Agent Coulson to try and prevent his escape. Unfortunately, a mind-controlled guard had gotten Loki the scepter and he used it to overpower them."

Fury sighed as he hung his head. "Adena managed to save Coulson from being stabbed from behind, but in doing so, she got Loki's attention. From what we can gather, she tried to take him down by herself with a stun gun, but accidentally got Coulson instead. When Coulson went down, Loki was able to get Adena and make his escape. They're gone."

Steve was glad he was sitting down, because he would have had to take a seat after hearing that news. There were a mixture of feelings and thoughts racing through him, and he needed a moment to sort them all out.

The predominant thought was, '_This is all my fault. How could I have left her alone like that: unguarded, unprotected, and standing in the middle of a shattered lab_?'

He'd honestly believed she'd be safe there –after all, Director Fury would have tried to keep her out of harm's way, so Steve had naturally thought she'd be safe and in good hands. How could he have been so wrong?

Numb, Steve followed Stark to the prison level, where Loki's cell had been. There, he stood in silent thought, wondering what had become of Thor, Doctor Banner, and poor Adena…though mostly his mind was on Adena's fate.

'_Will he hurt her_?' he wondered. '_Will he torture her for information_? _Or will he kill her once he finds out that she doesn't have much information to give him_?'

No, Loki was too clever for that. If he had gained control of some of the crew, Loki now knew that Adena was at least passing friends with some of the most powerful heroes on Earth. She would be a valuable bargaining chip, if he chose to use her. Steve refused to think about what might happen if Loki decided to do otherwise.

"Stupid," Steve snapped into the open air of the room. "Why didn't they wait for other agents?"

"Coulson was doing his job," Stark said, trying to defend the unconscious man who was now in the ship's hospital, suffering from concussion-like symptoms. "She was probably all that was available at the time."

Steve took a swing at the wall, hurting his knuckles and leaving a dent in the metal wall paneling. "That doesn't excuse Coulson for letting her go along! He should have kept her locked up somewhere safe! She doesn't know how to fight, and she told me herself that she hated weapons. Why would either one of them do what they did?"

Stark sighed. "Earlier, when she was spending time with me and Bruce, Adena had been complaining about being useless during this whole mess. She wanted to do something useful, and once the trouble started, she probably figured she might be able to help someone. Phil was alone, with no backup –knowing Adena, she volunteered her services, and he took what he could get."

"And now she's gone!" Steve yelled at the dented wall, ignoring the jealousy he felt at Adena spending time with Tony and confiding in him, rather than Steve. "We don't even know what Loki's plan is from this point. What's he going to do now that he's got both the Cube and Adena?"

A hand rested on his shoulder. "I thought you'd be used to losing soldiers in a fight."

Steve _barely_ resisted the urge to punch the other man in the face. "Adena isn't a soldier. She's a civilian; she hates fighting. She's a kind, soft-hearted person, not a seasoned fighter. Even the most inexperienced agent onboard this ship has seen more action than her!"

"At this point, I doubt it," Stark replied in that joking tone of his. "I think Adena is a fighter –she's got more spine than I think you give her credit for. If she was willing to go head-to-head with Loki, even at the cost of her own life, that says a lot about how much guts she's got."

The thought of her facing down Loki made Steve want to laugh. While he didn't like the image of her at the mercy of that monster, he could easily smile at how defiant she'd probably been; given how stubborn she was, he could easily see her throwing insults at her enemy as she stood against him, drawing attention from the downed Agent Coulson.

Steve's amusement quickly faded. "Now that he has her, what does he plan to do with her? She's just an ordinary person, not really valuable to him except as a hostage or bargaining chip."

That made Stark pause for a minute. "Well, she's spent time with some of us, so he has to know that at least a few of us think of her as a friend. But I agree –he's got to want her for something big. Loki wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

"Right," Steve confirmed, though he wondered where this was going. "We all saw his act in Germany."

Stark waved his words aside. "That was just a preview; this will be his opening night, the one where he wants to make a huge impression. Loki is a full-tilt diva –he wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the sky with his name plastered-"

He stopped. "Son of a bitch!"

* * *

Apparently Loki was nearly as arrogant as Tony Stark, because his plans centered on the new ARC powered Stark building. With that in mind, Steve went to get Agent Romanoff, who would want to know what was going on.

He found her in another prison cell, this one clearly meant for human prisoners. "Time to go," he told her.

"Where?" she asked, showing a mixture of emotions that included determination, anger and curiosity.

"I'll tell you on the way," Steve answered. "Stark's figured out what Loki's up to. Can you fly one of those jets?

"I can," came a voice from the other room.

Seeing the agent known as Clint Barton emerge from the restroom, Steve felt his hackles go up. This man had been one of the first to be turned by Loki. Glancing at Natasha, he only relaxed a hair when she confirmed that Barton was okay.

"Have you got a suit?" Barton nodded. "Then suit up."

* * *

Within the hour, even Stark was ready, his suit as repaired as he could make it under the circumstances. While Iron Man headed off ahead, Steve gritted his teeth and led Natasha and Barton to the docking bay, where only a single youngster tried to get in their way. Luckily, it took only a few choice worlds from Steve and Natasha to get past him –Steve really wasn't in a friendly mood just then, and anyone who got in the way of rescuing Adena was going to have hell to pay.

The long flight to New York only gave him more time to think about what his friend must be going through. It tore at him, that she was in danger and he'd been the one who put her there. First it had been Bucky that he'd lost in war; and now Adena, a girl who hadn't known what to expect when she'd signed up to help him fit back into the world.

'_I'll never forgive myself if something happens to her_,' he thought to himself, his heart weighing heavily as they headed for New York.

When he next saw her again, Steve silently swore that he would do everything possible to be the best student in the world and do whatever she suggested about his 'reeducation.' It was the least he could do, and he had a feeling Adena would like it.

* * *

Looking at his unconscious prisoner, Loki couldn't help but feel triumphant. Soon, this world would be in the palm of his hand, and there was no one to stop him.

The sorry group of 'heroes' that had been assembled to defeat him were broken and scattered –the great beast had done as Loki desired, and confused their attempts to organize and assemble. Now that both the Beast and Thor were out of the equation, the group was severely weakened with the loss of its two strongest members.

With a grin, Loki turned to glance out the window. Like the palace on Asgard, this particular building was taller than most, providing a high perspective and a clear view of the city. From here, he would create a new capitol for his empire, though the one he planned would be far more appealing to the eye than this primitive city.

'_It is an ugly world; nothing like Asgard_,' he thought with a sneer. '_As soon as my reign here is established, I will level this place and build a far more elegant palace and city from which to rule_.'

And with him would be Adena. He could hardly wait to see her reaction to a conquered Earth! It might be enough to break her, or at least shake her to the very core of her being. Once she was unsettled, Loki would twist and manipulate her, turning her to his cause and gaining her loyalty so that she served only him. With her insight into humanity, it would be easy to bring this race fully to heel.

'_Perhaps I'll put that beast, the Hulk, to work at building my city_,' he pondered, looking at Adena's sleeping face. '_I will find a way to control him, and once he is also under my power, he could prove most effective in hard labor. And if he proves to be obedient to my will, I could have him as a fully destructive force to use against my enemies_.'

Reaching down, he ran a finger along Adena's soft brown locks as he telepathically channeled images into her mind. While she slept, Adena would see the future he had in mind for her –a glorious vision in which she stood beside him, watching this ravaged world being rebuilt under his power.

But first, he had to open the gate for the Chitauri. Here, Adena would sleep safely, and once the battle was won, he would awaken her to her new destiny.

* * *

I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know where I was, what was happening, whether I was alive and in a nightmare, or hovering between life and death.

Standing on an invisible plane of existence, I shivered. Here, things were dark, like the night sky, only without the moon for light. There were a few bright spots that flickered in and out around me, showing me images that were either figments of my imagination, or were visions of actual events that were occurring. Honestly, it was like watching television, with someone else frequently changing the channel.

Half of these visions made me feel sick just watching them. In one, I saw monstrous creatures subjugating Earth, killing people and enslaving others while a familiar cloaked figure watched with relish. The arrogant, pleased smirk on Loki's face made me wish that I could beat the crap out of him.

Another vision was of me on my knees, my head bowed as Loki waved a hand over me. The everyday clothes I wore shifted into a gown of deep forest-green, embroidered with strange gold designs that vaguely resembled Celtic symbols. On my head was a gold band, and as I looked up, there was a gold collar around my neck, with a blue gem that seemed to flicker in time with the orb in Loki's scepter. No doubt the collar was meant as a way of controlling the wearer.

I swallowed hard as the second vision continued. In it, that version me rose to stand, one hand slipping into Loki's as we turned to watch the complete subjugation of Earth. I saw the cold, impassive, and almost statuesque look on "my" face, and shivered –there was no mistaking the brain-washed look that face bore.

The thought of being bound to Loki's side for who-knows-how-long was a terrifying one. Being stuck inside my own body, watching everything around me and being helpless to say or do anything about the horrors going on was just as frightening.

'_And who knows how long he would keep me that way_,' I thought, watching the 'other me' keep pace with Loki, almost like an obedient dog or slave. '_Or would he occasionally bring me out of that state, just so he could gloat over his victory_?'

Perhaps he'd do it to torment me further by rubbing my face in the Avengers' defeat. I could totally picture Loki smiling in triumph as he tortured or killed one of my friends in front of my face; he would think it funny to watch me cry out in agony while he flaunted his victories.

But to my surprise, some of these visions faded away to reveal what I could only guess to be actual events. Perhaps whatever spell Loki had me under was flawed, or it affected me in ways even he couldn't imagine, because what I saw felt too real to be a nightmare created either by Loki or by my own imagination.

In one, I saw Tony Stark chatting it up with Loki in his corporate building in New York. As always, Tony had that signature swagger of his, as well as an air of confidence that he could put on as easily as I put on a coat. When Loki next opened his mouth to speak, I was shocked to learn that I could actually _hear_ what was being said.

"What have I to fear?" he asked arrogantly.

"The Avengers," Tony replied nonchalantly as he poured himself a drink. Loki gave him a puzzled look, causing Tony to roll his eyes a little. "It's what we call ourselves, sort of like a team. Earth's Mightiest Heroes type of thing."

Loki looked amused. "Oh, yes. I've met them."

Tony shrugged. "Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one." He waved his drink in Loki's direction. "But let's do a headcount, here: your brother, the demigod." Loki gave a sneer at that one. "A super-soldier that is a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues; and a couple of master assassins. And _you_, big fella, have managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan," Loki arrogantly pointed out.

"Not a great plan," Tony replied, sipping his drink. "When they come, and they _will_ come, they'll come for _you_."

"I have an army," Loki pointed out.

"We have a Hulk," Tony countered, stepping out from behind the bar.

The Asgardian smirked. "I thought the beast had wandered off…?"

By now, Tony was looking annoyed. "You're missing the point!" he said. "There is no throne; there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you." He walked closer to where Loki stood, scepter in hand. "Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned sure we'll avenge it!"

I was so proud of him at that moment, I wanted to applaud. Even after the damage that had been done on the hover-ship, and all of the arguing that had been going on there, the team was coming together to protect the world. How great was that?

Loki merely looked calm and amused at his words. "And what about the young lady I have in my possession? Do you take her life so lightly? What makes you think that I won't torture her and use her as a bargaining tool during my battle with your precious 'Avengers'?"

At his words, the look in Tony's eyes got downright hostile. "You might try to use her, but she'll go down fighting you every step of the way. And you can be damned sure that if something _does_ happen to Adena, all of us, though especially the super-soldier, will rip you apart."

Throwing his head back, Loki burst out laughing. "Such sentiment for a woman you have barely known a few days! Why does she mean so much to you? She is of no significance to what you stand for."

I knew that if Tony had been wearing his armor at that point, he'd have blown Loki clear into the next millennia. "She's part of our team. When you took her, you merely strengthened our cause. Believe me; _that_ was the wrong thing to do, and you can bet that all of us will fight to get her back."

"And how will your friends have time for me, when they'll be too busy fighting you?" Loki retorted as he lifted his scepter and tapped Tony on the chest with it.

To his surprise, nothing happened. He tried again. "That usually works…"

"Performance issues?" Tony sarcastically remarked. "You know, it's not uncommon-"

The rest of his sentence was cut off by Loki grasping him around the throat and tossing him aside like trash. Furious, Loki hauled Tony up to eye-level. "You will bow before me," he snarled before throwing him out the window.

"No!" I screamed as the vision ended.

Alone in the dark once more, I felt fear surge through me. I worried for my friends: I wondered if Cap was alright, and whether Tony had performed one of his miraculous Iron Man stunts and survived the fall from the top of his building. If an invasion was going on, Natasha was probably involved, and likely kicking some serious ass along the way, right alongside the other Avengers.

As though summoned through my desperate need to know, a small glow in the darkness swelled to show me what was happening in the world outside my head. What it showed me was not good.

"Oh, my god," I muttered, staring in disbelief.

* * *

AN: Review?


	12. War Part II

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Here's the next chapter! It's also the last chapter of this fic; there's an epilogue after this, and then it's off to the sequel! Thanks a bunch to everyone who has read this story, and to those who have also reviewed! Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: War Part II:**

There was no way I could be seeing what was there. It just wasn't possible, even in my most fantastical imaginings.

A giant portal of some kind hovered over the Stark Building. Hundreds of enemy fighters were on the ground, shooting anything that stood in their way. Many were on foot, but there were others on what appeared to be flying jet skis, which were clearly armed with energy blasters. People were fleeing in terror, screaming as they ran down streets or into buildings to hide.

But even worse than the warriors in flight or on the ground were the giant aircrafts that had brought them here to Earth. They were enormous, and appeared to be some sort of living leviathan creature covered in metal armor. I could not imagine how the Avengers could take down something so huge and heavily protected.

The 'window' that I was observing through shifted, showing all of my friends ready to do battle. I had to melt into a smile at seeing Cap take charge of the situation; he was cool and calm as he appeared to be giving orders to everyone, sending each of them out with a specific task. However, I _did_ have to worry just a _little_ bit as The Hulk gave a rather savage grin when given his orders –as much as I liked and trusted Bruce Banner, I didn't think it was a good idea to give his alter ego permission to go destroy things, even if it was a battle to save the Earth from invasion.

With all the fighting going on, it was hard keeping track of what was going on. New York was a big city, and there were enemy fighters everywhere –it was like watching an ant hill, with a few key players getting swarmed from every angle by a seemingly endless force.

To give them credit, the Avengers were all doing their damnedest to hold their own: Cap was beating enemies left and right with his shield; Natasha was shooting, punching, and knifing everything in her path like a pro; Tony was shooting missiles from his armor, while Thor threw lightning. Hulk, of course, was smashing whatever moved, and then some.

But as more invasion ships began pouring into New York through the portal, I struggled to cling to hope. As good as they were, the Avengers couldn't possible hold up forever, and I knew that most of them were taking a major beating.

And yet, even as my little vision window began to close, I let hope stay inside my heart. I don't know how, but they _would_ win. Loki was totally going down!

* * *

Even though Steve was able to keep his head together during the fighting, part of him knew that winning against Loki's forces was going to serve two purposes. The first was to keep the world safe from invasion; the second was to get Adena back, safe and sound.

Occasionally, as he took down a monster or gave orders to the local police or firefighters, Steve found his thoughts drifting to Adena's wellbeing. He tried staying optimistic, believing that she was unharmed and somewhere out of danger, but that was all speculation: he didn't know where she was, or whether Loki had tortured or harmed her in any way.

All of the unanswered questions about Adena ate away at him, and the only way that Steve managed to cope with them was beating the hell out of any alien invader that got in his way. It was, as Adena had put it, 'therapeutic,' and helped drive him to fight and, hopefully, win.

* * *

From his vantage point above the city, Loki sneered down at the battle scenes. Although the Chitauri were many, somehow, against all expectations, the Avengers were still strong in battling their enemies. Even as exhausted as they must be, it was clear that they intended to fight until they collapsed or were dead.

"Well, dead is exactly what I mean to make them," Loki growled as he flew about the city on his small hover craft.

It was a lovely sight, even with the heroes struggling to prevent the invasion. People fled to and from buildings, all trying to save themselves from death. Warships flew over, around, and between buildings as Chitauri warriors slid down ropes to take the city. The Chitauri who were on personal hover crafts searched out their brethren who looked in need of aid against their Avenger opponents, and attempted to engage in battle. Weapon's fire shot through the air, sizzling as it burned through the streets and lit them up.

Destruction was everywhere, and Loki relished it. He could already imagine the palace he would build atop the foundations where the Stark Tower stood, and where he finally managed to strike down his brother would be a monument to the deed.

Smiling, he thought of the sleeping woman who lay within the Tower. Adena had been pale and breathing deeply when he had last seen her, but his mind recalled how flushed and angry she had been when she had confronted him. The red blush of her cheeks and the flash of defiance in her eyes had only driven his desire to obtain her –oh, how he enjoyed her spark! Loki intended for that flash of radiance within her to burn for a very long time, even after he had her at his mercy.

At that moment, he sensed the air move sharply in his direction, coming from an angle that practically screamed his death.

Reaching out, he easily caught the puny arrow in his hand, and smiled…right before it glowed blue and self destructed.

* * *

In the confines of my mind, I could feel the darkness pressing in. The flickering lights that occasionally became my windows to the outside world were blinking in and out of existence, almost like static on a television, leaving me wondering whether I was falling deeper into the coma-like state I was in, or if I was slowly crawling my way out of it.

Or it could also be that Loki's power over me was failing, an idea that fired me up inside. If Loki was losing his grip on me, then he was losing to the Avengers. That gave me hope, and I grasped at it with both hands, holding tightly as a surge of energy shot through me, sending a burning sensation straight through my mind and heart.

For a moment, I thought that meant the spell or telepathic hold Loki had on me was over, but after what felt like an eternity passed, I realized that wasn't the case. I was stuck within the confines of my mind, with no way out.

An immediate sense of fear and claustrophobia began to settle in. What if I never woke up? What if I was stuck here forever? Maybe Director Fury could help me somehow? He had a lot of scientists at his disposal, so maybe he could order them to find out what was wrong with me?

Suddenly, another surge of power shot through me, this one far more powerful than the first. I felt something tear, as though whatever spell on me had cracked, but wasn't yet falling apart.

Then, all of the flickering lights went out, and I fell into complete sleep and darkness.

* * *

With the destruction of Loki's forces, Steve felt only half as relieved as he should have. The world was safe, but there were two major things that needed to be dealt with: the first was finding Loki and putting him in handcuffs; second, getting him to spill where Adena was.

Finding Loki was easy; Hulk had basically used him as a rag to (almost literally) wipe the floor with. Lying out in an unresponsive daze on the floor, the Asgardian obviously wasn't going to be answering any questions soon, which gave Steve and the others time to take a breather.

While the other Avengers took the opportunity to clean the sweat, grime, and blood off of themselves in Stark's personal apartments a level down, Steve began pacing the room, trying to ignore the pain in his side, where an enemy had blasted him earlier. His armor had protected him from the worst, and he wasn't bleeding – much – but it still hurt like hell.

"You should get cleaned up, Captain," Stark said, fingering a hole in his metal armor. "I doubt that Loki's going anywhere." He pointed to Steve's left side. "Or at least get your wound seen to. Natasha does a great job with cuts and stuff."

Steve hesitated a moment before Stark clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Go on. Adena wouldn't want to see you messed up, now, would she?"

He winced at the thought of Adena still being missing, but Stark had a point –he couldn't let her see him like this. He was filthy, and the wound in his side needed medical attention. Steve decided to take Stark's advice and see if Agent Romanoff could patch him up a bit.

Within twenty minutes, Steve and the other Avengers came together to see if they could get Loki to spill his guts. By that point, their prisoner had regained most of his motor functions, and was making a feeble attempt to crawl to safety. That was _not_ going to happen.

Sensing that he had company, Loki paused in his sad efforts to run and turned around. Even when he had clearly lost the fight for Earth, he managed to paste on a sardonic smile. "If it's all the same to you," he said, smiling as he took in his captors, "I think I'll have that drink."

A hand on Steve's shoulder kept him from picking up Loki and beating him even more into a pulp. Instead, he shook the hand off his shoulder and reached down to drag their prisoner up so he could look him closely in the eye.

"Where is Adena?" Steve growled, his grip tightening to the point of his knuckles cracking.

Loki merely gave a half-mad grin. "And what if I told you she is dead? What would you do then?"

Behind Steve came a growl and a shift of very large feet as The Hulk took a step forward. "If she's dead, then we'll let Hulk here have some more fun throwing you around," Steve threatened, eyes narrowing. "After that, maybe Thor will have some fun lighting you up, followed by Hawkeye using you as a pin cushion."

"After I charge up my suit, I can put my tank missiles to good use," Tony volunteered, smiling eagerly. "I've also got a few other toys that _really_ pack a punch."

"I've got a few knives handy," Natasha said in full seriousness. "They're still sharp…for the most part." She paused as she hefted Loki's scepter in her hands. "And there's always _this_ thing. We can see how it affects _him_."

Hawkeye gave a savage smile. "I'm all for that last one. Let's give him a taste of his own medicine."

The threat of the scepter being turned on him was apparently too much for Loki, because he seemed to sag a little in Steve's grip. "She's safe," he grudgingly admitted. Steve was very satisfied that it tore at Loki to say it. "She's in a deep sleep, one of my own making. You will find her two levels below, in a female's sleeping chamber."

Tony perked up. "She's in Pepper's suite!" he said. Heading to a computer panel in the wall, he activated what looked like a homing beacon. "Jarvis is picking up the little computer I loaned her. Since we never found it on the aircraft, it's safe to say that she's still got it on her. And according to this," he pointed to the screen, "she really _is_ two floors below." Stark paused. "Unless he's trying to dupe us by sending us on a wild goose chase."

Loki held up his hands in defeat. "She is there. To wake her, you need to simply to wave the scepter over her. That will dissolve the remnants of the spell."

Natasha griped the scepter even tighter. "Come on, Captain. Let's go get her."

* * *

Waking up from the black nothingness, I immediately knew how Snow White felt when her sleep spell was broken. The only difference was instead of Prince Charming, I had Natasha Romanoff with a glowing scepter in her hands, and Captain America standing over me, both with concerned looks on their faces. Even though none of them were exactly Prince Charming, it was still a very welcoming sight!

After everything came into focus and the fog around my brain faded a bit, I smiled up at them. "Hi," I managed to croak out. "Did we win?"

"Yes, we did," Cap smiled as he came to help me up from the bed. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Standing shakily on my feet, I shook my head in an effort to answer his question and to clear it. "I'm fine, just groggy. How long have I been out?"

Natasha shrugged. "A while. I'd have to say twelve hours at least."

I sighed. "No wonder I feel all out of it." Glancing up, I saw Cap giving me a very scrutinizing look-over. "I'm _fine_," I firmly told him. "He knocked me out on the ship, and that's it. I'm not hurt, or in pain. My head feels fuzzy, but that's it. Can we go now?"

Natasha smiled as Cap offered me an arm. "Come on. You can see what kind of shape Loki's in."

* * *

I have to admit, I didn't know what to expect. During the elevator ride up, I wondered how much death and destruction Loki had caused in his quest for world domination.

As soon as the elevator opened, I was treated to a round of hugs from my friends. Tony had to be careful with me, as he was still in his suit, as did Thor, but Clint Barton, who was codenamed Hawkeye, came to shake hands and congratulate me on surviving my experience. Barton also told me that if Natasha counted me as a friend, then he would, too.

"Trust me, you're a friend," Natasha confirmed as she gave me a hug with one arm, since the other had the scepter in it. "Anyone who willingly goes to face down a demigod with almost no backup totally has my respect."

Bruce was still in his Hulk form, and at his feet knelt a very beat-up Loki. Actually, it looked as though Thor or Hulk had sat on him, then used his flattened carcass to wipe the floor.

"Whoa," I said, staring at the now-captive demigod. "What happened to him?" I looked closely at Thor. "Or should I say: _who_ happened to him?"

At that question, Hulk gave a very nasty grin, not-so-subtly telling me that this was his doing. I had to go over and pat him gently on one big, green, muscular arm that was wider than my waistline.

"Hulk did good," I told him, earning a pleased smile from him in return.

To my surprise, Loki chuckled. "I knew you had a bloodthirsty side to you," he said.

Hulk growled warningly at him as I made to face my kidnapper. "Considering you hurt my friends, kidnapped me, stuck me into a coma, and tried to destroy my planet, I think I have a right to be, when it comes to bringing you down," I retorted. "Believe me, if I had my way, I'd borrow one of Tony's Iron Man boots and use it to kick your testicles straight up through your forehead. But as it is, I'll settle for Hulk whipping you around like a terrier with a rag doll."

Loki's smile melted into something that hovered between dreamy and insanity. "You would have made a great Queen for my empire," he said. "I would love to see you truly angry –you would be magnificent when it came to torturing prisoners."

The timely arrival of a few dozen SHIELD agents prevented me from answering. As they hauled Loki out the door, cuffed, gagged and under the guard of a ton of armed agents, I was seriously disappointed that I didn't get to verbally chew out Loki -but then, I didn't want to say anything that might nauseate the other guys present, so I decided to let it go.

With the capture of Loki, the SHIELD agents who remained took quick statements from all of the Avengers, and offered their congratulations on their victory. They also took away Doctor Selvig, who had been the one to harness the power of the Cube; the Cube itself, tucked into a carry case; and a large helicopter came to take away most of the machine it was powering. I had no doubt that the machine would soon become either scrap metal, or some scientist's permanent study project.

To my surprise, after obtaining my side of the story for their records, the remaining agents offered me a ride back to Director Fury's hovercraft. However, I refused, because the others didn't seem inclined to go anywhere anytime soon.

"I'll stay with my friends," I said, causing Cap to relax a bit. The poor guy had been hovering close by ever since I'd woken up, and I had the distinct feeling that he didn't intend for me to be let out of his sight anytime soon.

Once the SHIELD agents had left, I turned and looked at the others. "Well, you all look like crap," I stated, earning a few chuckles and rolled eyes. "Hey, it's true!"

Tony pointed mockingly at me. "You know, she's right. I'm going to get out of this," he rapped his knuckles against his suit, "and after Bruce manages to calm himself back down, we can all go get that shawarma I was talking about."

My stomach chose that moment to growl. "Oh, man, shawarma sounds great! I'll wait here, if you want."

Tony waved towards the bar. "Help yourself to something to drink. I'll be right back." He looked over at Hulk. "Uh, why don't you 'walk it off,' Banner. Plenty of room outside; lots of fresh air, nice view, all that stuff. I'll find you something to wear."

Hulk sniffed disdainfully and looked as though he wasn't going to budge, but changed his mind. Out he went, climbing up the side of the building to the roof, probably in search of privacy. While the others had gone to collect themselves and take a breather, Cap decided to stay with me in the trashed room and wait.

As soon as we were alone, I found myself swept up in a tight hug, a vision of red, white and blue dancing before my eyes as Cap muttered something about me scaring him half to death. He then started lecturing me on how I should _not_ go facing powerful beings without backup and fight training, and that I was _never_ to scare him like that again.

When he was done, I smiled and looked up at him. "I missed you, too, Cap," I cheerfully replied as I pulled away.

Looking down at my arm, I saw flakes of dried blood dusted across the fabric of my shirt. "Oh, my God!" I cried. "Cap, you're hurt!"

He smiled and made me look up at him. "I'm fine. Natasha patched me up, and the blood is old. I'll be fine in a few days, thanks to that serum I've got in me."

I wasn't sure if I could believe him or not, but since he wasn't bleeding profusely or in obvious pain, I decided to take his word for it. "Okay, but if you're lying, Cap, you're in big trouble." His smile turned into a grin.

At that moment, Bruce showed up in his human form, a smile and a relieved look on his face as he tried to hold up his extremely stretched out pants. "Wow, am I glad to see you in once piece," he said, reaching out with one arm to hug me. "I think the Other Guy was happy to see you, too, though I think the Captain is the most relieved."

"I'll bet," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "He's probably going to be insufferably protective after this."

Both Bruce and I exchanged smiles as Cap pretended to look offended. Rather than arguing with me, however, Cap sighed and shook his head. "Let's change the topic, huh? Can you tell me what, exactly, shawarma is? I don't think even Stark knows, but he's the one who suggested it."

I perked up. "Yes! A lesson in ethnic food!" I cried, feeling excited. "I've been waiting _forever_ to get you to try other foods besides American!"

Cap sighed as I grinned. Let the lesson in cuisine begin!

* * *

AN: Review?


	13. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing related to Marvel, either the comics, movies, TV shows, etc. All of that belongs to the Disney Corporation (though I might try kidnapping Captain America and Hawkeye some day, just for fun).

AN: Here is the end of the story, as well as the film. The sequel should be up within a week or two, depending on how quickly I'm able to write out the chapters. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me! Enjoy, and please review!

**Epilogue:**

Shawarma with the Avengers was not as thrilling as most people would think it would be.

First, they were all exhausted from battling a huge alien invasion army, so it pretty much took all of their focus and remaining energy to get to the restaurant, order, sit, and eat their food. When I saw how drained they were, I ordered a round of sports drinks, to help get them a boost to the system. Me, I needed caffeine after such a long day in my coma, so an extra-large soft drink was part of my meal.

Second downer was that the eatery was in shambles. It was actually a miracle that the owner and his wife were able to put together our order, considering how messed up the place was. But considering that Tony was offering cash for our meal, I think the owners were happy to have paying customers, especially since there were so many of us. Still, it was still kind of depressing watching the owner's wife clean up the trashed place while we ate.

But there was one funny aspect of our meal: Cap ordering off of the menu. He wasn't sure about the whole thing, so I had to order for him. After the first bite, though, he was hooked; it might have been because he was starved after such a long day, but once you find out you like it, shawarma can be addictive. Believe me, after finding a shawarma place near my old apartment complex, I would know.

The meal was eaten in silence, with me being the most functional person in the group –and given that I'd been in a magical coma for who-knows-how-long, that's saying something. I had to make sure that no one fell asleep over their food, and that they all ate, because after a long day of fighting, there was no doubt in my mind that their bodies needed sustenance, very badly. I had to occasionally prod Natasha into taking bites, or to get Cap to take sips of his sports drink, which he didn't really like, but consumed anyway, at my insistence.

When we'd finished, Tony gave a generous tip, and the rest of us very politely thanked the two owners for our meal. The owner simply nodded to us (he was probably still in shock about the state of his establishment), but his wife was cheered by the extra cash in the till, so she was a bit more friendly as she waved us off.

Outside the restaurant, we broke up into groups. Tony went back to his place, since it was only a few blocks away from his building. Some SHIELD agents showed up to take Clint, Natasha, Thor and Bruce to a secret safe house where they could rest up. Cap and I were offered a ride to our apartment complex, which we refused; given the state of the roads, it was easier to walk. There agents were nice enough to provide Cap with some clothes, so that he wouldn't be seen by witnesses and compromise his secret identity.

But before we left, I made a point of asking after Phil Coulson's condition -I'd seen him get blasted by Loki, but had no idea if he was fine or not. Unfortunately, all I got in the way of an answer was that Phil was still recovering, and needed rest. After that, the agents refused to cooperate, and I was left wondering when I'd see him again. In the end, I left for home with Cap, who made sure that we got there without too many issues.

To my relief, our apartment building was still standing, though most of the windows on the upper and lower floors had been shattered by enemy invaders. Luckily, our place was too far above the street and too far below the highest floors to suffer broken windows.

The only problems were that a few things on the walls had been knocked off, due to the building shaking when the invaders had been blasting away at the place, and the fact that electricity was spotty, so there was the chance that any food we had in the fridge was probably going to go bad soon. Considering the circumstances, though, I counted us very lucky.

Cap and I immediately went to shower and change into something clean, as we were covered in dust and grime from walking the streets. Once we were cleaned up, I just about fainted when he came to ask me check his wound for him. I'd never seen him shirtless, but the sight had me staring at him for a good ten seconds before I snapped out of it.

Seeing to his injury wasn't easy, either, since Cap was quite literally in perfect physical condition. As a female, I was _very_ aware of it as I checked his wound and made sure that it wasn't infected. It was so hard _not_ to notice how muscular he was, and how those muscles flexed whenever I accidentally hurt him while patching him up.

Surprisingly, Cap didn't seem too bashful about my seeing him shirtless. I had thought that he would be all flustered, but he was fairly calm and collected as I asked him what hurt and what didn't. Maybe he was used to having wounds being treated, or perhaps it was his military training, but whatever it was, it kept him in from being awkward about the whole thing.

After he was seen to, I sent Cap off to bed, with strict orders to sleep in. "You need to rest and recover," I firmly told him. "Even with that special serum in you, you've got limits, so don't push them. The war is over, at least for now, so rest up."

He reluctantly obeyed, and the next morning, we both got up late. After a quick brunch, Cap and I sat down for a brief lesson in music and history, the two of us attempting to get back to 'normal' while the world outside was still in a bit of chaos.

* * *

Two days later, we got a call from Natasha Romanoff. Apparently Loki was going to be taken back to Asgard by Thor, and the other Avengers were going to see them off. They wanted Cap there, and since Cap wasn't going to go without me, he insisted I go as well. I agreed, and wrote down the time and place to meet the next day.

It wasn't until later that I realized that we needed transportation. The agent assigned to drive us around was busy doing other things, and Cap and I had no other means of getting to the location.

Director Fury must have thought of this, because not long after Natasha's call, two things happened: the first was a motorcycle being delivered to our apartment building, for our use; and lucky for us, the streets were barely cleared enough to drive the bike through them. And then, not long after that, Tony himself phoned, offering us a ride.

I, of course, told Tony that we had a ride, but when he offered a stint in one of his finer, more expensive sports cars, I was torn between wanting that ride in Tony's car and riding with Cap. I elected to go with Tony to the site, and ride back with Cap, since I didn't know what Tony had in mind after Thor and Loki had left. Cap wasn't too thrilled about my decision, but once I swore to go with him on the ride back, he gave in.

But before that happened, I needed to do what I felt were some very important things.

* * *

It was a gathering that felt like 'goodbye,' but also not. It more resembled a farewell between friends who were destined to meet again in the future, when they were needed to do so.

The group known as The Avengers gathered together in a beautiful, open place that was also away from the prying eyes of the public. To ensure that this moment was not interrupted, a perimeter of SHIELD agents formed a barrier against intrusion.

Through the air flew Thor, Lord of Thunder, and his captive. The Lord of Mischief, Loki, was shackled and muzzled with Asgardian items, sent by Odin; all were laced with magic, to keep him from causing more harm than he already had. The two landed swiftly within a heavily wooded area surrounded by agents, who led them discreetly to the agreed meeting spot.

A series of cars and other transports produced the other Avengers. Tony Stark, carrying the dangerous Tesseract in a reinforced case, gently handed out Adena Philips, while Steve Rogers quickly dismounted his motorcycle and went to stand beside her. Agents Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton escorted Doctor Bruce Banner to the area, while from a large armored vehicle emerged Doctor Erik Selvig. In Selvig's hand was a device sent from Asgard, which would be used to transport Thor and Loki back to that world.

Under the watchful eye of the other Avengers, Banner carefully moved the Cube to the Asgardian device, where it was quickly secured for use. As Thor made ready to accept the device and depart, Adena rushed forward, an excited and anxious look on her face.

"Wait!" she said, rushing up to the large warrior. "I have something for you to take back with you."

From her purse, she produced a small wooden jewelry box. "These are gifts for your mother and father. Both are of Celtic design, with symbols for thanks and friendship, in the hopes that we can be friends with your people." She smiled shyly. "I noticed the designs on your hammer, and thought they would be a nice peace offering."

Thor smiled as he accepted the box. "I'm sure they will be honored to receive such a gift," he said, tucking it safely into his belt. "Thank you, my friend."

Beside him, Loki's eyes narrowed as he eyed the young woman. It was clear that his ice blue eyes held anger, disappointment, and madness, but there was also a dark flicker of desire in them. Steve Rogers saw this, and went to stand behind his tutor, who was too busy giving Thor a brief hug to notice how Loki was looking at her. Steve, meanwhile, barely managed to hold back the urge to beat the hell out of Thor's prisoner.

Gathered together, the Avengers stood around the departing pair. Thor gave them all a farewell nod before offering the other end of the teleporting device he held. Reluctantly, Loki took the other handle, and with a twist of the wrist, both he and Thor vanished in beams of blue light. The Tesseract gone from Earth, the other Avengers breathed great sighs of relief.

But their day was not yet finished.

Adena gently elbowed her charge in the ribs. "Go make peace," she whispered while glancing in Stark's direction. "I really would like for you two to be friends –or at least decent to one another, since we might be seeing more of him in the near future."

In this, Steve was in agreement with -and so he went to make his peace with Tony Stark. Shaking hands, the two men exchanged genuine smiles and nods of respect. Even if they weren't exactly friends as of yet, they at least were willing to try and be acquaintances, if only for Adena's sake.

Acting on a previously made promise, Tony motioned towards Bruce Banner, who went to fetch his meager belongings so that the two could ride back to Stark Tower. There, Tony intended for his fellow genius to put his great mind to work while relaxing and having fun in his own section of the research and development department.

While the three men exchanged temporary goodbyes, Adena went to hug Natasha Romanoff, the two women exchanging phone numbers and e-mail addresses, so that they could stay in touch.

"I'll stop by New York whenever I can," Natasha promised. "We'll get together then."

Adena smiled. "Send me something cool from wherever you and Barton are going?" she teased.

Barton grinned. "You can count on that," he replied, reaching to shake her hand. "Take care of yourself, okay? And the Captain, too."

Then the two were gone, off to visit who-knows-where. It was doubtful that even Director Fury knew for sure where the two assassins would end up next.

Stark and Banner, meanwhile, came to exchange hugs with Adena as well, who gave them both a farewell kiss on the cheek. "We should all do lunch soon," she said, earning a smile from not only the two of them, but also Steve. "I'd also like to meet the infamous Pepper Potts, if possible?"

Tony took the hint. "Sure," he agreed. "You call me, I'll talk to Pepper, and we'll do lunch, dinner, brunch, and everything fun in between."

Laughing, Adena hugged him again. "See you soon, Tony."

"But not too soon," Steve put in. "You still have a job to do, remember?"

Adena smiled and shook her head. "Hey, it wasn't my fault Loki wanted to take over the world and interrupted your education process! Don't blame me for that!"

With a final wave, the four split: Banner and Stark sped off in Stark's sports car, while Adena carefully climbed onto the back of Steve's motorcycle.

"I've never ridden on one of these before," she said nervously. "We really should invest in helmets, Cap. We can do that on the way back."

Smiling, Steve started the bike as her arms slid around his waist.

* * *

With Adena seated behind him, Steve felt a sense of relief. She was safe, her arms wrapped tightly around him as they sped off into the city. Best of all, she was under his watchful eye, right where he wanted her to be. It would be a long time before he'd be fully able to relax his protectiveness of her.

As they rode onwards, Steve knew that with Adena guiding him, he might be able to cope with anything. And he would do his best to make sure that she stayed safe while doing so, too.

* * *

AN: The end! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next story!


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